This name was derived from a dream that Emperor Godaigo had in which he saw a beam of light shining from the southeast where the wooden statue of Amitabha stolen from Kosho-ji Temple later appeared, and this miraculous event is also said to have been connected to the decision to relocate the temple to Shibutani in Kyoto from Yamashina.
この寺号は、後醍醐天皇が東南の方向から一筋の光りが差し込むという夢を見たという場所に、興正寺の盗まれた阿弥陀如来の木像が出てきたという霊験に由来し、これを縁に山科より京都渋谷に寺基を移したとも言われる。