During the period of syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism it was said that the water god was a manifestation of Jizo Bosatsu (Ksitigarbha), and became a shrine belonging to Zao Gongen of Mt. Kinpusen (Kinpusen-ji Temple) and one of the training grounds for Shugendo (Japanese mountain asceticism-shamanism incorporating Shinto and Buddhist concepts).
神仏習合時代には、水分神は地蔵菩薩の垂迹とされ、金峰山の蔵王権現（金峯山寺）に属する神社として修験道の行場の一つとなっていた。