Sugawara no Michizane (菅原 道真) was worshiped at this shrine when it was on the premise of Gion temple (衹園寺/Gion tera). In early 1789, the shrine was relocated to where it is now and was rebuilt in a magnificent Japanese architectural style, Yatsumune-zukuri (八つ棟造り) in 1824. Since Michizane was a noble and a great scholar, he was in an important post in the Imperial Court. After the death of Michizane, the imperial court granted him the name Tenma Daijizai Tenjin (天満大自在天神) and he was deified. He has been popular among many people as a god of learning.