It is the central temple of the Obaku Sect, the latest of the pre-modern Buddhist sects to be established in Japan, and was built after the Ming Dynasty Chinese monk, Yinyuan was invited to serve as Kaisan (first head priest).
日本の近世以前の仏教各派の中では最も遅れて開宗した、黄檗宗の中心寺院で、中国・明出身の僧隠元を開山に請じて建てられた。