Kuzuryusha is one of the five shrines of Togakushi Shrine, located within the precincts of the inner Okusha on the approach path. It enshrines Kuzuryu no Okami, the ancient dragon deity and tutelary god of Togakushi, venerated since antiquity for bringing rain, forging bonds, and curing toothaches. Regarded as the oldest stratum of faith at Togakushi, it is said the dragon became guardian of this …

The Kuzuryu-sha shrine is traditionally said to have been established around 820 CE (the 11th year of the Kōnin era) in the early Heian period. It enshrines Kuzuryu no Okami, the tutelary deity of Togakushi, and is regarded as embodying one of the oldest strata of worship in this region, rooted in a…