[5] The formal names of corollary jinja memorialize vital roots in a history which pre-dates the founding of Japan's ancient capital.

[7] The boundaries of today's smaller forest encompasses approximately 12.4 hectares, which are preserved as a national historical site (を国の史跡).

The woods of this sacred grove are designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site along with other Shinto shrines in its environs.

In part, it is called the "upper" shrine because it is situated on the east bank of the Kamo River (鴨川 or 賀茂川, Kamo-gawa) up-stream from its non-identical twin.

In the "Congratulatory Words of the Chieftain of Izumo," the "sacred grove of Kamo" is mentioned along with other wooded Shinto sanctuaries at Ō-miwa, Unade and Asuka: At the Kamigamo Shrine, Kamo Wake-ikazuchi, the kami of thunder, is the focus of attention and reverence.

Featured in this event are a procession between the two shrines, horse races, and demonstrations of mounted archery (yabusame).

Kamigamo Shrine's two large conical sand mounds memorialize the holy trees that once served to welcome spirits.

[16] Although Kamo-jinja is not directly on the banks of the Kamo River, the site locations were positioned as part of a plan for mitigating the consequences of periodic flooding.

[19] In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to Japan's guardian kami, including those venerated at the Kamo Shrine.

[21] In agata-no-nushi titles, the appended noun is typically a place name; but in a Taihō ritsuryō consolidation, the Kamo mirror the Yamato clan's amalgamating conventions in merging the area, its name, its sacred centers and its kami within a single nominative identifier.