WE REGRET Shelter Island Bell Ringing Cancelled

Midnight Bell Ringing, or Joya-no-kane, at Shelter Island. Photo courtesy of Joyce Teague.

very sorry shelter island new year’s eve event

candelled due to rain

The New Year’s Eve bell ringing at 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at Shelter Islandhas been cancelled as of 1:30 p.m. (on New Year’s Eve) because of the weather. Conditions would not be safe.

However, we still offer two options for starting off the New Year in peace and calm.

Two of Three opportunities for peace & calm

Services and Events continue on New Year’s Eve and Day

WEDNEsday, December 31

Even with the above cncellation, you can still literally ring in the New Year at our evening service at the Temple on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 6 p.m. at the Buddhist Temple of San Diego . The Temple is located at 2929 Market Street and offsite parking is available. The service takes place on our top floor, the main hall or Hondo, and ADA=compliant elevator access is available. Please enter through the double glass doors off of the parking lot.

This service at 6 p.m. is known as Joya-E. With presiding minister Rev. Hokai “Smitty” Smith, we conduct a short service in the Hondo, followed by bell ringing and special New Year’s Eve noodles.

So you can help us ring in the New Year. After paying our respects to Amida Buddha, attendees are invited to ring our Kansho (bell) 108 times, a Japanese Buddhist tradition. Everyone in attendance gets a chance to ring the bell one or more times.

THURsday, January 1

At 10 a.m. on New Year’s Day at the Temple, join us for Shuso-E. In this short service we welcome the New Year by paying our respects to Amida Buddha and dedicate ourselves to the Dharma for another year. Rev. Smitty will officiate. Sometimes the chairperson playfully discusses the change to a new year under the Asian Zodiac; 2026 is the year of the HORSE. Moreover, this year the Element is fire, so 2026 will be the year o the Fire Horse.

We hope you can join us for at least one of these events or services to help you start the New Year with a clean slate and a light step.

 

Ring Our Online Bell. If you can’t make it to one of our end of year bell-ringings, you can still ring the bell online with this post from the Covid years when we were unable to meet in person.

Online Bell Ringing Here.

 

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Translations and Traditions

  • Joya-E. Jo (除) means “to throw out” and Ya (夜) means “night,” and most New Year’s Eves this is a night-time service, but can be held in daylight as we did in 2024. We take advantage of this service to cast out the troubles of the past year and begin the new year with new resolutions and a clear head. We assemble before the shrine of Amida Buddha to quietly recollect the happenings of the year and to rejoice in the blessings of Amida. (Edited from explanation by Seattle Buddhist Temple.)

  • Joya no Kane. As shown above, Jo (除) means “to throw out” and Ya (夜) means “night.” Kane (鐘) means “bell.” The particle no (の) links Joya to Kane. So Joya no Kane refers specifically to the ritual ringing of the bell to allow us to ring out the old and ring in the new. The ritual specifies the bell should be rung at least108 times.

  • Shuso-E. Originally a gathering to hope for a good harvest for the coming year, the observance was adapted within the Jodo Shinshu tradition for focusing on the Buddha’s teachings, as a way for us to correct our path or rededicate ourselves as needed.

  • The Number 108. For an explanation of the symbolism, behind the number 108, see here.

BT SD