Kuzuryu Shrine (Hongu)
The nine-headed dragon deity at rest on the shore of Lake Ashi, with a monthly rite on the thirteenth.
History and Divine Virtue
A detached sanctuary of Hakone Shrine, standing in the lakeside woods known as the Hakone Kuzuryu Forest on the shore of Lake Ashi. Its deity is Kuzuryu Okami, the nine-headed dragon god. Tradition tells that in the Nara period, the holy man Mangan — founder of Hakone Shrine — subdued a venomous dragon that dwelt in the lake and tormented the people; the dragon repented, became the lake's guardian, and was enshrined as Kuzuryu Okami. On the thirteenth of every month, worship boats sail from Moto-Hakone for the monthly rite, which draws crowds of visitors praying for good matches. The dragon deity is also revered for guardianship of wealth, prosperous business, and the opening of fortune. Because the main sanctuary lies deep in the lakeside forest, reachable only on foot or by boat, everyday worship centers on the Shingu — a new sanctuary built within the grounds of Hakone Shrine — whose blessings are held to be no different from the Hongu's. The torii gate facing the lake and the hush of the surrounding forest convey the purity befitting a dragon god's shrine.
Visiting Notes
- For the monthly rite on the thirteenth, the custom is to cross by worship boat — check the schedule and boarding details in advance.
- At other times, the sanctuary can be reached on foot along the walking path from the Hakone-en side (admission fee required).
- At the Shingu within Hakone Shrine's grounds flows Ryujin-sui, the sacred water of the nine-headed dragon.
A dragon god at rest in a lake embodies the element of water, and the shrine is held to have deep ties with those whose birth charts carry mizunoe or mizunoto — the water signs. When you feel the current of your life has stalled, this is a place to name first: a waterside where the energies can be exchanged for new ones.
Deities and Location
- Enshrined Deities
- Kuzuryū Ōkami
- Location
- 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町元箱根 (Kanagawa)
- Access
- By worship boat from Moto-Hakone Port, or about 30 minutes on foot from Hakone-en
Visiting hours, goshuin (shrine stamps), and festival dates change; please confirm the latest information through each shrine's official announcements. If you find an error in this entry, we would be grateful if you let us know.
