The original year of construction is unknown, but the oldest records suggest 927 CE. Long ago, the landowners shared beef with the local people before farming, but eating meat was prohibited. The Kami got angry when heard of it and brought a plague of locusts on the crops as punishment. To calm the wrath of the Kami, the peasants made offerings of white pigs, chickens, and white horses. In return, the Kami taught the people how to remove the locusts using hemp leaves, fans, and phalluses.
Many prayers for childbirth are made here. The Kami also protects the prosperity of businesses and ensures abundant harvests. Phallus decorations are visible everywhere in the shrine, which has earned it the nickname, Penis Shrine.