Zenkō-ji Temple Bell

This is a recording made of the special bell at the Zenkō-ji Temple in Nagano being struck to signal the hour. This bell is listed on the '100 soundscapes of Japan' list - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_Soundscapes_of_Japan - a fact that is also stated on a sign in front of the bell. The bell hangs in a special tower, and there is a long beam that a special bell-ringer unties and then gently drives into the side of the bell, producing the sound. You can hear the leather strapping in which the beam is secured, the footsteps of the bell-ringer, and the melting snow all around; it was a bright, crisp day and lovely to sit in the sunshine and listen to the thaw and to this wonderful bell.