According to the story, the manufacturing method of kinzanji miso; miso mixed with chopped vegetables, which was made in Jingshan Temple in Zhenjiang, Southern Sung (present day Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China), was introduced to Japan by Hotoenmei-kokushi, a founder of Kokoku-ji Temple in Yura Town, Kii Province (Wakayama Prefecture) around the 13th century, and production of kinzanji miso started around Yuasa Town.
伝承によれば13世紀頃、南宋鎮江（現中華人民共和国江蘇省鎮江）の径山寺で作られていた、刻んだ野菜を味噌につけ込む金山寺味噌の製法を、紀伊国（和歌山県）の由良町興国寺の開祖法燈円明國師（ほうとうえんめいこくし）が日本に伝え、湯浅町周辺で金山寺味噌作りが広まった。