The shrine stores a portable Kaguratai shrine used exclusively for the festival held every May 5th. It's designated as a Municipal Folk Cultural Property of Japan.

The guardian dog statues flanking the shrine were donated by Hida's legendary carpenters, the same craftsmen whose skills built temples using timber that has withstood over 1,000 years of heavy snow.

Giant cedar trees, hundreds of years old, line the stone stairs leading up to the shrine. You'll pass through multiple torii gates before reaching the top, creating a natural cathedral effect.

Dating back to 719, this is Takayama's oldest shrine, predating even the famous temples in the area by centuries. It was already ancient when the castle town was established in the 1500s.