# JoyaTimer > Precision timer app for timed bell strikes, inspired by Japanese tradition. (iPhone/iPad app by Daishin Ueyama.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joyatimer/id495395194 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Daishin Ueyama](https://appshunter.io/developer/495395197) - Category: Utilities, Health & Fitness - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 2.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.6 · 16 MB - Languages: American English, Japanese - Released: 2012-01-27 - Data updated: 2026-08-26 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joyatimer/id495395194/reviews.md ## What is JoyaTimer? JoyaTimer is a specialized yet simple timer app inspired by a Japanese traditional New Year’s Eve event called “Joya no Kane”. At many Buddhist temples across Japan, priests strike the temple bell 108 times on New Year’s Eve. The final strike should sound exactly at 0:00 a.m. on January 1st. This app helps you ring the bell at precise timing with sound and vibration (iPhone only). I originally made this app for New Year’s Eve 2011 and actually used it. It was convenient, so I decided to publish it. Key Features • Set the interval (seconds) between strikes (default: 20 seconds) • Set the number of strikes (default: 108) • “Joya Mode” (default: ON) automatically calculates and displays when you should start the first strike so that the last strike finishes exactly at midnight • Sound alerts at the configured interval, plus vibration support (iPhone only) • If Joya Mode is OFF, you can pause the timer • While Joya Mode is ON, the Start button disappears after starting to prevent accidental taps • The device will not sleep while the timer is running (please watch your battery) • Compass: find north on the timer screen (supported devices only) Tip When you press Start, it counts as the first strike. If you plan to ring 108 times, setting the count to 109 and ignoring the first “strike” can make the operation easier. How-to Video https://youtu.be/CQwCRaXpC9I New Features from Ver. 7 • Start Now (Beta): quick-start support for late-evening use • Game Mode (Beta): timing challenge for accurate bell strikes • End-time setting: choose when the ringing should finish Improvements after Ver. 7 • (7.1) Improved judgement accuracy and score display • (7.1) Enhanced mic threshold tuning and effects • (7.2) Enhanced scoreboard and high-score effects • (7.3) Internal code optimization and maintainability improvements Notes / Important • Please make sure your iOS device clock is accurate • Airplane Mode is recommended (the app is configured not to run in the background) • Test and simulate the timer in advance • If pressing Start exactly at the first strike is difficult, set the count to 109 and begin from the second alert • “Time Correction” was added in Ver. 2.9 because it is hard to adjust iOS clocks at the second scale. If your device is 5 seconds ahead of actual time, set it to “-5”. Since Airplane Mode is recommended, network time sync (e.g., NTP) is not assumed; manual correction works best • If you find any bug, please contact the support page (Facebook page) Sound List (sound number mapping) Sound quality is not good yet; we plan to re-record in the future. 1. Electric sound 2. Big bell (Electric) 3. Big bell in Jyousenji temple (bad sound due to a crack) 4. Bell in Jyousenji (Large Kin) 5. Bell in Jyousenji (Medium Kin) 6. Sawari in Jyousenji ## Key features - Customizable strike interval and count - Joya Mode for precise midnight timing - Sound and vibration alerts - Device stays awake while timer runs - Compass for orientation - Start Now and Game Mode (Beta) ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Donate a cup of coffee. | $0.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (2 of 2) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joyatimer/id495395194/reviews.md ### 1/5 — Not Working on XR *2020-01-20* No sound at all from neither speaker nor earphone. Compass does not respond with move. No stop nor pause button which forces to close the app to stop the cycle once it’s started. **Developer response:** Thanks for your comment. Turn off the silent mode of your phone please. Also, is you turn on the Joya mode of the app, it prevent pause of the timer because the mode for the Joya no kane event. I am not sure about the compass problem on XR device, sorry. ### 3/5 — OK but needs some tweaking. *2013-04-05* I love the simplicity of this app and the graphical display. Very easy to see how much time is remaining on the clock. The things I don't like are: 1) The program does not honor my iPad's volume setting. Regardless of where I set my volume, this program ding's loud, even when I have my device set to MUTE! 2) I did not find any easy way of resetting the timer once it's underway. If I accidentally start the timer, the only way I can find to start over is to quit the program. 3) I'm not sure why I must have two outside ring segments. If I simply want to count down 60 seconds, I must have two outside rings and the first one goes away when I start the timer. I'm sure there is a logical reason for this functionality but I can't figure it out. ## Frequently asked questions about JoyaTimer ### What is JoyaTimer used for? JoyaTimer is a specialized timer app designed to help users accurately time a series of bell strikes, inspired by the Japanese New Year's tradition of 'Joya no Kane'. It ensures the final strike lands precisely at a set time, like midnight. ### How does Joya Mode work in JoyaTimer? Joya Mode automatically calculates and displays when you need to start the first strike so that the last strike concludes exactly at your desired end time. This feature is designed for precision timing, especially for events like New Year's Eve. ### Does JoyaTimer have vibration support? Yes, JoyaTimer offers vibration support on iPhones to complement its sound alerts. This feature provides an additional sensory cue for the timed strikes. ### Can I adjust the timing accuracy in JoyaTimer? Yes, JoyaTimer includes a 'Time Correction' feature, added in version 2.9, to manually adjust for device clock inaccuracies. This is useful as network time synchronization is not assumed when using Airplane Mode. ### What are the new features in recent versions of JoyaTimer? Recent updates, starting with Ver. 7, introduced 'Start Now' for quick starts and 'Game Mode' for timing challenges. Improvements have also been made to judgment accuracy, score display, and scoreboard effects. ### Is JoyaTimer available on Android? Based on the provided data, JoyaTimer is supported on iPhone, iPad, and iPod. There is no mention of Android compatibility. ### How often is JoyaTimer updated? JoyaTimer was last updated on March 1, 2026, with version 7.2. The app was initially released on January 27, 2012, indicating a history of updates over time. ### What is the user rating for JoyaTimer? JoyaTimer has a rating of 2.0 stars based on 2 ratings. This suggests a limited number of user reviews are available. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 7.3 — 2026-08-24 Added support for the latest versions of iOS and iPadOS. ### 7.2 — 2026-03-01 • Start Now (Beta): quick-start support for late-evening use • Game Mode (Beta): timing challenge for accurate bell strikes • End-time setting: choose when the ringing should finish • (7.1) Improved judgement accuracy and score display • (7.1) Enhanced mic threshold tuning and effects • (7.2) Enhanced scoreboard and high-score effects ### 7.1 — 2026-02-12 New Features from Ver. 7 - Start Now (Beta) is now available. Please use this when you want to start casually around 11 PM or later. - Game Mode (Beta) is a game where you aim to strike the bell at the correct timing. Try to strike precisely in sync with the timer. The more accurate your timing, the higher your score will be. In Game Mode, no sound will be played. Please adjust the microphone threshold in the settings screen. (High scores are recorded. It is recommended for use during morning/evening bell ringing or New Year’s Eve bell events.) - The internal logic has been significantly revised in Ver.7. Please let us know if you encounter any issues. ### 7.0 — 2026-02-05 SwiftUI has been transformed. (Joya mode) Start Now mode (beta) implementation that can be started when you want to start the Joya bell. (Joya mode) It is now possible to set the end time of the Joya bell. ### 6.4 — 2026-01-02 iOS26 support Added a % display of the remaining days in the widget ## Apps similar to JoyaTimer | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Dentaku: Musical Calculator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dentaku-musical-calculator/id6476873490) | — | Free | Utilities | | [Side Search](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-search/id6756973793) | — | Free | Utilities | | [Stereo Microphone](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stereo-microphone/id6449208745) | 4.5 (8) | $2.99 | Utilities | | [MochiLog](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mochilog/id6756904240) | — | Free | Utilities | | [お祈り − 故人情報と法要日程の管理](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1244745323) | — | Free | Utilities | | [Prayer - Sutras](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prayer-sutras/id498933432) | — | Free | Utilities | ## More apps by Daishin Ueyama - [TheDLA](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thedla/id506499656) - [GamanBank](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gamanbank/id1434223708) - [VintagePhotosApp](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vintagephotosapp/id6759186598) - [ColorDiaryApp](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colordiaryapp/id6759371114) - [Omoi Altar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/omoi-altar/id6770172873) All apps by Daishin Ueyama: https://appshunter.io/developer/495395197 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*