However, there has been controversy over whether this temple or Todai-ji should be identified as Yamato Kokubun-ji Temple in the Engishiki, since this temple was identified as Yamato Kokubun-ji Temple by "Yamatoshi (Historical Records of Yamato), even though Todai-ji Temple had been commonly believed to be Yamato Kokubun-ji Temple.
しかし、江戸時代に書かれた『大和志』で延喜式に記された大和国国分寺を通説であった東大寺ではなく、この寺であると比定して以後、いずれを国分寺とするかについての議論がある。