Gardena Buddhist Church held its annual New Year’s Eve service on Dec. 31, followed by the traditional ringing of the temple bell by ministers and members of all ages.
Japanese American Buddhists observe this rite at temples throughout California and beyond.
In Japan, where the tradition is known as Joya no Kane, temple bells are rung 108 times — representing the worldly desires that people experience throughout their lives — to usher in the new year cleansed of the previous year’s problems and worries.
Photos by J.K. YAMAMOTO/Rafu Shimpo