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Chion-in Temple
New Year celebrations in Japan is not just a party one evening of the year. The celebration period starts with the Emperor's birthday at the end of December; decorations are left up until January 7th at least. Everyone visits the temple New Year's Eve or more traditionally on New Year's day. Post cards are also exchanged, and the mail keeps them until New Year's Day and delivers the entire pack all at once. Traditional Ikebana arrangements are made for both the home and business. Part of the New Year is also the "coming of age" day on January 10, when all those who have turned 20 during the preceeding year are officially recognized as adults.

Chion-in temple

Chio-in is just north of the Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama Park.It is the head temple of the Jodo ("Pure Land") sect of Buddhism. It is one of the most important spritual places in Japan. The Jodo sect is the most popular Buddhist sect in Japan. The 74-tons temple bell is also the largest in Japan. It takes as many as 17 monks to operate it at the New Year ceremony in which the bell is struck 108 times representing the 108 desires in the mind to be gotten rid of before the new year begins.