A bronze statue of Fuji Sengen Jinja [富士浅間神社] in Fuji-Yoshida [富士吉田] City Japan. Chinese Dragon has been one of the popular traditional motifs of Japanese religion, art and craft.
There is sometimes a dragon on Chouzubachi[手水鉢]. Chouzubachi is a water vessel which is made from stone, located in Temizuya[手水舎] of Jinja (Japanese Shinto shrine). Chouzubachi are used by worshipers for washing their left hands, right hands, mouth and finally the handle of the water ladle to purify themselves before approaching the main Shinto shrine -Shaden [社殿]-.
This dragon is a water tap at Temizuya. Temizuya is a Shinto water ablution pavilion for a ceremonial purification rite known as temizu. Temizuya is usually an open area where clear water fills one or various stone basins. Wooden dippers are usually available to worshipers.
Fuji Sengen Jinja is located at the foot of Mt.Fuji (Fujisan)[富士山] -the most famous and highest mountain in Japan-. It was an entrance of a mountain trail of Mt.Fuji. Mt.Fuji is one of mountains of gods. Ancient worshipers climbed Mt.Fuji from this Jinja.
I've never seen such a beautiful dragon figure
like this before...