From the Genroku Era of the Edo period, high-quality 'washi' papermaking flourished in Ecchu Yao, where clear spring water bubbles up from the foot of the mountains. Yao washi was durable and elastic, becoming the paper of choice for packaging medicine and ointment by doctors. Even now, the paper is used in many areas, with processed goods including wallets and bags.

Keijusha paper mill has protected the traditions of Yao washi over many years. Inside the mill is a small washi museum called 'Washi Library', which introduces paper not only from Japan, but all over the world as objects of craftwork. The museum's four sections exhibit papyrus from 1000 B.C., paper-production methods, old hand-copied Japanese sutras, late-Edo period daily commodities made from washi, on so on.

The actual paper mill is built right next to the museum, where visitors can watch and take part in making washi.

Ooiwasan Nisekiji Temple is famous for its holy water called 'fujimizu' (fuji water), which is believed to cure ailments of the eyes. The temple is in Nakanigawa-gun, Toyama Prefecture.

The 'Etchu-kujiki' records relate a legend from 1702 about a blind farmer who lived in Echigo. One day, he received a divine message from Fudo-Myoo (Vidyaraja, one of Buddhism's Five Kings of the four cardinal directions) telling him to wash his eyes under a 'fuji' tree near a waterfall in Nisekiji Temple. The farmer heeded Fudo-Myoo's words and, immediately after washing his eyes, was able to open them and see again.

To this day at the temple, the spring water that wells out around the statue of Fudo-Myoo (an important cultural property of Japan), has been known as Fujimizu, and is believed to miraculously cure eye diseases.

Also within this temple is the megusuri-no-ki ('eyewash tree'), said to cure presbyopia. Dried megusuri-no-ki for decocting in tea is sold here and has proved popular with visitors.