According to Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), originally, Abe no omi Kotoshiro, who had an oracle of Tsukuyomi no kami in Iki on the way to Mimana as an envoy, reported this to the Emperor, and in 487, received land for the shrine in 'Utaarasuda, Katsuno District, Yamashiro Province,' where he held a ceremonial transfer of the god of Tsukiyomi-jinja Shrine (Iki City) in Iki and ordered Oshimi no Sukune, the territorial ruler of Iki, to worship it.
日本書紀によれば、阿閉臣事代が任那に遣わされる途中、壱岐で月讀尊の神託があったのでこれを天皇に奏上し、顕宗天皇3年（487年）、「山城国葛野郡歌荒樔田」に神領を賜って壱岐の月読神社(壱岐市)の神を勧請し、壱岐県主・押見宿禰に祀らせたのに始まる。