 Shimogamo, along with the Kamigamo Shrine, was designated as one of two chief Shinto shrines ("ichinomiya") for the former Yamashiro Province.In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to Japan's guardian "kami", including Kamo-Tamayori-hime and Kamo-Taketsune.The writer of Hōjōki, Kamo no Chōmei (鴨長明),　was the second son of one of the head priests of the shrine, Kamo no Nagatsugu (鴨長継).