Tradition: Japanese mythology
Alternative Names: Fukuryū, Kai no Fukuryū, Gatten no Ryūō, Fortune Dragon
Category: Dragon
The Myth
The Fukuryū is depicted as a dragon rising toward heaven, its long body curling upward in a posture resembling a seahorse. It is associated with the dragon god of the ancient lake that once covered the Kōfu Basin, and is regarded as a guardian and bringer of fortune to the people.
Long ago, the Kōfu Basin was said to have been a vast lake. When Jizō Bodhisattva came to the region, he saw how difficult life was for the people living around the water and resolved to reclaim the lake. He consulted two nearby gods, who told him that the lake belonged to a powerful dragon god and that his cooperation would have to be sought.
The dragon god readily agreed. He declared that if giving up the lake would bring happiness to everyone, he would willingly surrender it. He also promised to protect the people before ascending into heaven.
Jizō then worked together with the local gods and Fudō Myōō to drain the enormous lake. One god bored holes through great rocks so that the water could escape, while another scattered the mountains that obstructed its passage. Fudō Myōō guided the waters toward the sea, until the lake was emptied and a vast basin remained. The land eventually became the flourishing center of Kai Province.
The dragon god is said to have left his name behind at the place where the plan to drain the lake was first conceived: Ryūō. His memory survived as the local Fukuryū, whose name is shortened from “Koshu Chingo Tsuina Shōfuku no Ryūjin,” meaning a guardian, exorcising, fortune-bringing dragon god of Kai. He is also called Gatten no Ryūō, “the Dragon King Who Grants All Wishes,” because he is believed to grant wishes for the happiness of the people.
The story of the dragon god forms part of the broader legend explaining the creation of the Kōfu Basin. The ancient tradition of Jizō opening and draining Lake Kōfu was already known in older accounts, but the surviving Kokubo Jizō Son Enki tells of Jizō, Gyōki, and the gods who opened the lake without mentioning a dragon god. The dragon’s role may therefore have been added to, or developed alongside, the older land-reclamation legend.
Sources
Takahashi, Toshihiro. “伏竜 [ふくりゅう] (Fukuryū).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). October 21, 2024. https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1082959049.html