Kami (Shinto deity)
Kuzuryū Ōkami
九頭龍大神
Kuzuryū Ōkami is worshipped as the kami who protects Lake Ashi in Hakone. There is a tradition that a dragon with nine heads became the guardian deity of the lake through the prayers of Mangan Shōnin.
This introduces the faith handed down at Kuzuryū Jinja in Hakone. Its origins and rites are treated separately from Kuzuryū traditions in other regions.
English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む
The dragon kami who protects Lake Ashi
The official guide of Hakone Jinja relates that Mangan Shōnin calmed a dragon that had been causing harm in Lake Ashi, and that the dragon kami took refuge in the Buddha's teaching and became the guardian of the lake. It is a story that conveys the faith of Hakone, in which prayers to kami and to buddhas overlap.
Source: 箱根神社
What wishes are brought here?
The shrine introduces faith in prosperity in business, protection of financial fortune, fulfillment of heartfelt wishes, and finding a good match. Please read these not as a promise that wishes will surely come true, but as the content of the prayers people have brought here.
Source: 箱根神社
The go-ennichi of the Hongū and the Shingū
According to the official guide, the monthly festival is held at the Hongū on the shore of Lake Ashi on the 13th of each month, and at the Shingū within the grounds of Hakone Jinja on the 15th of each month. When planning a visit, check which shrine the event belongs to and see the latest guide.
Source: 箱根神社
An example of a chant (in Japanese)
祓え給い、清め給え、神（かむ）ながら守り給い、幸（さきわ）え給え
Related shrines and temples
Sources (in Japanese)
- 箱根神社「箱根神社・九頭龍神社」（2026-10-16 確認）