In 993 Sugawara was pardoned and posthumously given a higher status by the Imperial Court a new shrine, Kamino Daijin-Gu神野太神宮, where Sugawara was the primary Kami, was built. Umezuka Tenmangu was incorporated into the new shrine and was named Otabisha. Later, reflecting the fact that the main shrine honouring Sugawara was Kitano Tenman-Gu in Kyoto, Kamino Daijin-Gu also came to be known as Kitano Tenjin. 

During the Warring States Period the shrine was repeatedly destroyed by fire but after one such event in 1461 seven pine trees miraculously sprang up overnight. In recognition of this auspicious event the shrine was rebuilt and soon became known throughout Osaka as a shrine of great spiritual significance. Moreover, the plum blossoms at Umezuka beloved of Sugawara and his followers came to be seen as spiritual trees in the Tenjin faith and their very branches were said to contain mysterious powers.

Coming into the Edo Period the shrine’s proximity to what was then the Saigoku Highway linking Kyoto with Shimonoseki meant that samurai from the western provinces visited and supported it. In particular there are records of the feudal lords of the Saiki domain in Bungo Province and the Choshu Domain donating items such as swords and horses to the shrine. Moreover, the shrine served as a gateway from the Saigoku Highway to the city of Osaka and facilities such as cattle inns and tea houses for travellers and pleasure seekers sprung up.

In the Meij Period, the opening of Osaka Station saw what had been a rural area become rapidly urbanised. As a result of this Otabisha was moved to what is now Chaya-machi, and the administration of Ha Shrine in nearby Kakuda-cho was transferred to Tsunashiki Ten Shrine.

During the second US bombing of Osaka on June 1, 1945 the shrine was burnt to the ground, but amazingly the mooring rope on which Sugawara sat to view the plum blossoms and the self portrait he presented to the Shirae family escaped damage. The current shrine buildings date to July 15, 1956.