One of the biggest Buddhist ceremonies is Joya no Kane, or the tolling of temple bells at midnight. According to Buddhist beliefs, it is customary to ring the bell 108 times as this number corresponds to the number of evil desires that we suffer from on earth. Ringing the bell 108 times rids us of our evil passions, and purifies us for the upcoming year. Many temples all over Japan partake in this ceremony and allow people to watch or actually participate in ringing the bell.