On the New Year's eve, the temple bells ring 108 times all around Japan. Humans are supposed to have 108 evil minds and the tolling of bells is believed to remove them. The Myoshinji bell in Kyoto is the oldest built in 698 but it is no longer used since some cracks were found inside. Its tone is of Ojiki-cho in Gagaku equivalent to A (440Hz). It is believed to be the most pleasant sound, so described in one of Japan's major journals Tsurezure-gusa (Yoshida Kenko, 1331-35). On New Year's eve, it is customery to eat buckwheat noodle that symbolises healthy long life. The New Year is full of symbolism for health, happiness and prosperity expressed in food, colour and shape. Next year is the year of cow/ox, when slow steady steps are encouraged. With the last sunset of the year over Mt Fuji, I wish you all a very happy 2009.
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