The predecessor of this temple was Asuka-dera Temple, the oldest orthodox Buddhist temple in Japan, which was erected in Asuka (an ancient capital of Japan during the Asuka period [538-710]) by SOGA-no-Umako.
蘇我馬子が飛鳥に建立した、日本最古の本格的仏教寺院である飛鳥寺がその前身である。