This Chinese custom reached Japan and these buildings came to be seen as permanent sub-temples that served as the graves of individuals, such as the founding priest, who were particularly important to a Zen temple to create the uniquely Japanese concept of the 'tacchu.'
そのような中国の慣習が日本に伝わると、開山など、禅寺にとってとりわけ大切な人の墓所としての塔頭・塔院と同一視されて永続的な施設となり、日本独自の「塔頭」という存在が認知されることとなった。