Kandanijinja Shrine is built on the bank of a river. The name of the shrine, which means "valley of the gods", was inspired by a legendary shrine located in a valley
where the gods used to gather and play. The main shrine, which is a national treasure, is built upon a foundation of stacked stones with a roof that extends
partially over the front of the building. This part of the roof hanging over the front of the building is called a kohai, or pent roof. Commonly seen at Japanese shrines and temples, this kind of roof is made for worshippers who pray at the front of the building.

What draws the eye more than anything is the beautiful arch of the roof. The way the
roof curves from the top of the roof toward the front and out is called nagare-zukuri.
When there are four pillars supporting the kohai as at Kandanijinja Shrine, this is
called sangensha nagare-zukuri.

Writings left on the timber used to construct Kandanijinja Shrine reveal that it
was built in the early Kamakura period and is among the oldest of the many Shinto
shrines built in the sangensha nagare-zukuri style.