Tachiki Kannon Anyo-Ji - New Years Gongs at Tachiki Kannon

Tachiki Kannon is a temple/shrine in the city of Otsu. The temple is located at the top of a hill reached by climbing hundreds of steep stone steps. Every Sunday during the first month of the year the temple is open and active for bestowing new year's luck. By custom every person in the neighborhood is supposed to visit to the temple during this time. In the main area worshippers line up to offer money and obeisances to an incense clouded shrine in which Shinto priests are wailing on an array of gongs, drums and chimes. It is hard to be in this area for more than a few minutes as the sound is nearly deafening.