It is well-known that priests at the Kofuku-ji Temple quickly perceived such a movement and thoroughly conducted Haibutsu-kishaku (anti-Buddhist movement), and as a part of coping procedures, priests, who were from court nobles serving as monzeki (successor of a temple) or Inge (supporter for monzeki, rank lower than monzeki) for Kofuku-ji Temple, returned to secular life simultaneously.
こうした潮流を敏感に察知した興福寺においていちはやく廃仏毀釈の動きが徹底されたことはつとに有名であるが、その一環として門跡・院家として興福寺の僧職にあった公家出身の僧侶たちが一斉に還俗するという事態が起こった。