It was not until over half a century after its founding, in 1259, that the temple became purely a Zen temple when Chinese monk Lanxi Daolong (kaisan of the Kamakura period temple Kencho-ji) assumed the position of Kennin-ji Temple's 11th chief priest.
創建から半世紀以上経た正元(日本)元年（1259年）には宋僧の蘭渓道隆（らんけいどうりゅう、鎌倉建長寺の開山）が11世住職として入寺し、この頃から純粋禅の寺院となる。