In 1218, during the Kamakura period, Nobufusa UTSUNOMIYA donated the dilapidated Sen'yu-ji Temple to Shunjo who received further donations from numerous parties and constructed a large monastery on the site, which is said to have been given the name Sennyu-ji (Gushing Spring Temple) due to the sudden appearance of a spring (the old temple name was 'Senyu-ji,' which has similar pronunciation to Sennyu-ji).
鎌倉時代の建保6年（1218年）、宇都宮信房が、荒廃していた仙遊寺を俊じょう（しゅんじょう）に寄進、俊じょうは多くの人々の寄付を得てこの地に大伽藍を造営し、霊泉が湧いたので、寺号を泉涌寺としたという（旧寺号の「仙遊寺」と音が通ずる点に注意）。