In 1228, the eminent monk Myoe Shonin (Koben, 1173–1232), a master of Kegon and Shingon Buddhism based at Kozanji Temple in Kyoto, visited this site during a preaching circuit of the Kanto region. He enshrined an image of Sugawara no Michizane said to have been self-carved by Michizane, founded a hall, and established it as the tutelary deity of old Higashi-Okubo Village — the origin of Nishimuki Tenjin Shrine. Myoe built the main hall facing west, the direction of Dazaifu where Michizane had died in exile, as an act of deep veneration. Myoe was a beloved Kamakura-era monk known for his profound love of animals and nature, and the National Treasure Choju-giga picture scrolls preserved at Kozanji are regarded as an embodiment of that spirit.