Legend has it that the shrine was founded by the Kamo clan during the reign of the Emperor Sujin, after they received from Shimogamo-jinja Shrine the divided deity of Taketsunumi no Mikoto, a god with a connection to the area of Okada Kamo,
崇神天皇の御代に賀茂氏によって、建角身命に縁のある岡田賀茂の地に下鴨神社より勧請を受けて創建されたものと伝わる。