History
The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period.
Records from the reign of Emperor Heizei (806-809) mention that Kamo-mioya jinja was amongst a select number of establishments which had been granted a divine seal for use on documents. The seal would have been enshrined in its own unique mikoshi (Oshite jinja). This granting of a special seal and the practices associated with its use and preservation conformed to a pattern established by Emperor Konin (770-781) in 778 (Hōki 9).
In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to Japan's guardian kami, including Kamo Wake-ikazuchi.
Kamigamo, along with the Shimogamo Shrine, was designated as one of two chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) for the former Yamashiro province.
From 1871 through 1946, Kamigamo was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha (官幣大社?), meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.
Read more about this topic: Kamigamo Shrine
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