Ancestor of Japanese respected high mountains because they believed that the mountains handle various phenomena such as clouds, rain, snow and thunder. These phenomena give water for people's lives. They believed that God was there. This is the beginning of mountainous worship.

Futara of spiritual mountain (today's Mt. Nantai) has been respected since early times.

Priest Shoto established Shihonryuji Temple on the north side of river of Daiya more than 1200 years ago. Also, he built Hongu Shrine in 790. This area is the birthplace of Futarasan Shrine. Shoto trained himself strictly and succeeded to climb up to Mt. Nantai. He made a small shrine on the top of Mt. Nantai in 782. This is Oku-miya Shrine.

Two years later, Priest Shoto built Chugushi Shrine on the north side of Lake Chuzenji. Basic figure of Nikko was made and it remains until today.

Futarasan Shrine has been respected as the best shrine of Shimotsuke (former Tochigi prefecture) for a long time. In addition, Shogunate and powerful clan worshipped as a guardian of Kanto region since Kamakura period.

Tokugawa shogunate contributed its shrines and territory to Futarasan Shrine in 1617 when Toshgu Shrine was established.

Although, Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines were separated by the law in 1872, Futarasan Shrine was recognized as a national official shrine later. General publics keep visiting Futarasan Shrine until today.