Linda from Whitnash brought back some bell pictures when she went to Japan for her son's wedding recently. She was impressed by the importance with which the Japanese regard the sounds of their bells. Each temple has one bell, generally very large. The bells are straight-sided and are rung by being hit from the outside by wooden beams. The sound is very pure and carries a long way.

This is the Bell Tower at Todaiji Temple.

The temple is a National Treasure and contains the biggest bell in Japan.

Linda's photo shows the method of sounding the bell by swinging a suspended beam.