These two temples were official government temples meant to protect the castles of Heiankyo's Sakyo and Ukyo, and also to protect the eastern and western parts of the country.
これら2つの寺院は、それぞれ平安京の左京と右京を守る王城鎮護の寺、さらには東国と西国とを守る国家鎮護の寺という意味合いを持った官立寺院であった。