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39th Annual Japanese New Year Bell-Ringing Ceremony
Ring in the New Year by taking a swing at a 2,100-pound, 16th-century Japanese temple bell. Led by Reverend Gengo Akiba, this inspiring ceremony will include a purification ritual and chanting of the Buddhist Heart Sutra. Visitors will have an opportunity to ring the bell to leave behind any unfortunate experiences, regrettable deeds, or ill luck from the year. The bell will be struck 108 times to usher in the New Year and curb the 108 mortal desires (bonno) that, according to Buddhist belief, torment humankind.
Schedule
10 AM | Doors open
10:30 AM–12 PM | Member Bell-Ringing
1–2:30 PM | Public Bell-Ringing
Tours and Storytelling
11 AM | Qi Baishi: Inspiration in Ink
11 AM | Storytelling (pre-K)
12:30 PM | Touch Tour of the Bell for Blind and Visually Impaired
1:30 PM | Hallyu! The Korean Wave
2 PM | Storytelling (all ages)
3 PM | Qi Baishi: Inspiration in Ink
We encourage visitors to purchase general admission tickets prior to arriving at the museum. An admission ticket guarantees entry; a separate, numbered ticket is required to ring the bell. Tickets to ring the bell will be distributed beginning at 12 PM.
Members can attend an earlier Bell-Ringing Ceremony at 10:30 AM before the public ceremony. Learn more about member benefits.
Accessibility
The Asian Art Museum is committed to making its events accessible to all. This program is wheelchair accessible and assistive listening devices (ALDs) can be provided.
We invite the blind and visually impaired community to engage in a tactile experience as part of this annual celebration. Join us for a touch tour of the temple bell and receive priority seating for the ceremony. Space is limited.
This program is free with general admission. If you wish to view the special exhibition, please reserve Hallyu! The Korean Wave tickets.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/2801483-0
