NATIONAL PARK

NATIONAL PARK

Kuzuryu Dragon Legend Course

This is a walking course named after the Kuzuryu, the legend of the nine headed dragon of Lake Ashi. The single path on the east side of Lake Ashi is easy to navigate and mostly flat. The course runs between Kojiri/Togendai and Hakone-en.  The ends of this walking path are connected by public transportation.

 

The path is surrounded by serene forests of trees, shrubs and flowers along Lake Ashi. The area is also a habitat for many wild birds and animals.

 

According to legend, there is a nine headed dragon that lives at the bottom of Lake Ashi. Long ago there was an evil spirited dragon that tormented the lives of the villagers around Lake Ashi by creating different natural disasters. A monk named Mangan, named because he could recite 10,000 Buddhist sutras, came to the area and calmed the dragon. The dragon became calm and now watches over the people and nature of Hakone. The dragon is enshrined at the Kuzuryu Shrine along the walking path.

 

The walking course takes you past the Kuzuryu Shrine. This shrine is popular for being associated with the idea of enmusubi, “connections”. These connections are the bonds between friends, people, and loved ones. It has become more associated with the romantic bonds between couples. A small shrine festival is held the 13th of every month that attracts people looking to make romantic connections.

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