Although this temple is reported to have been founded by Prince Shotoku, some have said it was originally built in the middle Heian period by Kanku (882-970), a monk of the Shingon sect who had received from Cloistered Emperor Uda a ceremonial Kanjo (the esoteric Buddhist ritual of pouring water over the top of a monk's head).
この寺は、聖徳太子によって開かれたと伝えられるが、一説によれば平安時代中期の真言宗の僧で宇多法皇から灌頂を受けた寛空（882年～970年）が創建したとも伝えられる。