Jurinji Temple

Founded in 850, Jurinji is known to locals simply as Narihira-dera. Ariwara no Narihira — early Heian poet and one of the Six Immortals of Poetry — spent his last years in seclusion here, and is said to have taken pleasure in watching the smoke of salt-making drift up from the shore. His grave and the remains of the old salt kiln still stand in the grounds. On 28 May the temple holds a memorial service for him with three-stringed shamisen music, and on 23 November the salt-kiln purification rite, where visitors who volunteer take on the roles of purifier and fire-lighter.