Relaxation of the Ritsuryo-sei (law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan) from the mid-Heian period led to the demise of the kan-ji temple, with some going on to become branch-temples of other temples and others closing down completely.
平安時代中期以後には律令制の弛緩によって官寺は衰微し、中には他の寺院の末寺となったり廃絶となる寺院も現れた。