Fukuya Kuzuryu Mochi

The shop front at Fukuya Kuzuryu Mochi features a simple wooden sign and small displays of individual mochi wrapped in clear plastic. This is the home of the Kuzuryu-mochi, a sweet named after the nine-headed dragon deity of Lake Ashi. Local legend tells of the dragon terrorizing the village until a priest calmed the beast, and shop owners here honor that history by offering their mochi to the shrine. People wait in line early for the fresh, chewy treats made daily.