Oyama Jinja Shrine was built in 1873 in dedication to Toshiie Maeda, the founder of the Kaga domain, followed by the construction of the Shinmon gate in 1875.
At the time of construction, the shrine was renown for its unprecedented blend of Japanese, Chinese, and Western style architecture, and has since been designated as a National Important Cultural Property.
The lowest level of its framework is made of wood and assembled using Japanese architectural techniques, and the outer masonry is made of the Kaga region's "tomuro" stones. The third tier is inlaid on all four sides with stained glass-like diamantes, which were once lit here to serve as lighthouses for ships passing through the nearby ports.

Oyama Jinja Shrine was dedicated to Kanazawa City's founding father Maeda Toshiie and his wife Matsu. It is said that Matsu was blessed with a child that aided the Lord Toshiie, who would later go headstrong against the likes of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Because of this, the shrine is said to bless people with marital bliss, success of posterity, academic achievement, and victory. During the special prayers, the shrine maidens perform a sacred dance as an offering to the deities.

Naorai refers to the tradition at the end of a festival during which the priests and attendees drink the sake that was offered to the deities. It has been believed since ancient times that by making an offering, one can receive the blessings and graces of the deities. The fundamental significance of naorai is that the deities and people become one through this communal practice. Popular offerings at the naokai are kombu (kelp) to wish for children's wellbeing, dried squid to wish for good things to come, and sake, which is a Japanese cultural symbol born from rice farms and cultivation.

A goshuin seal can be received at a shrine as a proof of your visit to the deities. This year's seal commemorates the 150th anniversary of the shrine, and features a kirie (paper cutout) design. The kirie is decorated with the shrine's crest of Japanese plums, and the gold paper features an image of the war helmet once worn by General Toshiie.

＜Udumbara Flower＞ While waiting for the special prayers, take a look up. The ceiling is decorated with the beautiful paintings of the udumbara flower. According to Indian legend, the flower blooms once every 3000 years and is symbolic of a rare and joyous occasion. This painting was created during the Edo Period before the construction of the Oyama Jinja Shrine, and was fixed on the ceiling of the Kanaya Goten residence before being transferred to the shrine. The doors of the shrine gate and the tiles that once laid on the roof, which were built two years later, also contained depictions of the udumbara flower.

＜Light Gold and Black Turban Shell Helmet＞This treasure housed in the Oyama Jinja Shrine is shaped after its namesake of a turban shell.Maeda Toshitsune, the feudal lord of the Kaga region, was told in a dream to create this helmet, and he ordered his subordinate samurai Yui Kanbei to perfect it. This helmet was kept by the Yui family and delivered to Kanazawa Castle in the occasion of the inauguration of a new lord in the region.