Kuzuryu (Nine Headed Dragon)

Kuzuryū (nine-headed dragon), or Kuzuryūshin (nine-headed dragon god) is a deity who appears in the folklore and legends of various regions of Japan, including, such as Hakone (Kanagawa), Prefecture Nagano and Fukui Prefecture. Kuzuryū is said to be a water god.

Legend has it that:

During the Nara period, a huge Nine-Headed Dragon appeared and settled at Lake Ashi in Hakone. The dragon asked to be sacrificed or else it would slaughter everyone in this area. With no other choice, the people were forced to follow the dragon's request to appease it. They use a white feathered arrow and shoot into the sky. And the house where the arrow landed was the house where a girl had to become a scapegoat.

A priest named Mankan couldn't stand the dragon's cruelty. He did a curse, and bound it to the Upside-down Cedar (a deep underwater rock mass). After binding underwater, the dragon seems to have changed. Mankan saw it and so he built a temple for the dragon. The dragon was worshiped and became a water god. The custom of worshiping dragons changed from human sacrifice to red bean sticky rice.

Other Kuzuryū legends:

Kuzuryū in Togakushi, Fukui Prefecture

Kuzuryū is said to have appeared in response to the echoing sound of a stone door leading to a cave being torn apart by another god, and thrown to earth. The thrown door became Mount Togakushi, and Kuzuryū became the nearby mountain of the same name. At the foot of Mount Togakushi is Togakushi Shrine , where there is a small shrine dedicated to Kuzuryū .

Indian influence

The origins of Kuzuryū can be traced back to the Hindu gods Vāsuki and Śeṣa, Nāgarajas, the guardians of Mount Meru. According to Hindu mythology, Śeṣa is one of a thousand nāga offspring of Kaśyapa and Kadrū. His appearance is that of a giant snake with a thousand heads. Earrings, crowns and garlands on each of the thousand heads are depicted with a swastika.

When Buddhism was introduced to China, Vāsuki was recognized as one of the Eight Great Nāga Kings. In Japan, due to Shintō's influence on Buddhism, Vāsuki has become a guardian deity in both religions. The eight Naga kings became influential in the esoteric tradition, which has a strong focus on achieving worldly benefit. This is reflected in Kuzuryū's role as a rain god. Kuzuryū is sometimes called Kuzuryū Gongen, referring to his identification with Vāsuki.

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