Kirishima Shrine enshrines Ninigi no Mikoto, the grandson of Amaterasu Omikami who appears in Japanese mythology, as its main deity. Ninigi no Mikoto is said to have descended to earth on the orders of Amaterasu Omikami and built the nation of Japan.

Kirishima Shrine is a shrine located in a mountain forest, and is characterized by its vermilion-lacquered pillars and traditional architecture. In the precincts, there are spots related to myths, such as the Amanoiwato, which appears in the Amanoiwato legend, and the Amori River, where Ninigi no Mikoto descended.