It was modeled in the Azuchi–Momoyama style as the Nikkō Tōshō-gū, and had sculptures by Hidari Jingorō and fusuma paintings by Kanō Tan'yū.

The shrine is situated on Mount Saiga, which is located on a cove of Wakaura Bay, with a sand spit resembling the Ama-no-hashidate on the right.

Construction on the shrine was begun in 1619, in preparation for Tokugawa Yorinobu officially entering Kii Province and becoming daimyō of Kishū Domain.

After his death, his spirit was worshipped as the kami Nanryū-Ōkami (南龍大神) alongside that of Tōshō-Daigongen (東照大権現), or the deified Tokugawa Ieyasu.

These include the two-story Rōmon gate,[1] the main shrine complex containing the Honden and Haiden,[2] East Corridor,[3] West Corridor,[4] Karamon Gate,[5] East Wall[6] and West Wall[7]