It is said to have been founded by Kobo Daishi in the early Heian period.

The main hall, Buddhist statues, and all other structures were buried in the great earthquake of the third year of Ten’an; the shrine was repeatedly rebuilt following several fires, and the current main hall was reconstructed during the late Edo period.

Under the Meiji government’s policy of separating Shinto and Buddhism, the shrine was renovated in the Shinto style. Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto was designated as the principal deity, the name was changed to Matsumine Shrine, and it has remained so to this day.

The approach is lined with towering trees, and the serene atmosphere makes it impossible not to feel the weight of history.