It is said that the number of branch temples originally numbered over 3,000 when including followings four schools; the present Bukko-ji school, the Kosho school of Shinshu sect which derived from Renkyo, the branch temples that did not join the Kosho school but remained Hongan-ji school of Jodo Shin Shu sect during the Meiji period, and the branch temples in eastern and western Japan that separated from the Bukko-ji religious group to join the Hongan-ji religious group.
現在の佛光寺派、蓮教の系統の真宗興正派、明治期に興正派にいかず浄土真宗本願寺派に留まった末寺、東国や西国で近世以前に佛光寺教団から外れて本願寺教団に組み込まれた末寺、の4流を合わせると、元の末寺は3000箇寺以上に上るともいわれる。