Hata no Imiki Tori was the leader of the immigrant Hata clan, said to have founded Matsunoo Taisha in 701 (Taiho 1) by inviting the divine spirit of Mt. Matsunoo. Based in Yamashiro Province (present-day western Kyoto), the Hata clan was known for bringing advanced technologies of agriculture, sericulture, and sake brewing. Their enshrinement of the brewing deity at Mt. Matsunoo became the origin of the later 'Matsunoo = brewing deity' faith. The same clan also founded Fushimi Inari Taisha (711, Hata no Iroko), and the fact that the two great ancient shrines in the vicinity of Heian-kyo were both founded by the Hata clan testifies to their immense religious influence in ancient Yamashiro Province.

Shigemori Mirei (1896-1975) was a leading garden designer of the Showa era who created many famous gardens including the Tofuku-ji Hojo gardens. In his late years at Matsunoo Taisha, he designed three gardens — 'Iwakura-no-Niwa,' 'Kyokusui-no-Niwa,' and 'Joko-no-Niwa' — bringing together the traditional techniques of karesansui (dry landscape), kyokusui (winding stream), and sand mounds at this ancient sacred site of iwakura worship. The three gardens are highly regarded as one of Mirei's final works and welcome visitors as renowned modern gardens of Kyoto.