It started when Imperial Princess Kenshi, a princess of the fourth Emperor Gokogon of the Northern Court of Japan, remade Irie-dono Palace, which had been the Imperial Palace of Suko, the third Northern Court Emperor, and was located on Ichijo-dori Street and Nishinotoin-dori Street, into a temple; and Seisen ni, a daughter of Yoshimitsu ASHIKAGA, became its kaisan (a founder of a temple as the first chief priest) during the Oei era (1394 - 1428).
応永年間（1394年～1428年）北朝(日本)4代後光厳天皇の皇女見子内親王が北朝3代崇光天皇の御所で一条通西洞院通にあった入江殿を寺に改め、足利義満の娘性仙尼を開山としたのに始まる。