The kaisan is not clear: some suggest Kuge, a line of Doryu RANKEI, but temple history suggests Genno Zenji (Shinsho Kugai), a monk of the Soto sect of Zen Buddhism.
開山は蘭渓道隆の法系の空外（くうげ）とも言い、寺伝では曹洞宗の僧・源翁禅師（心昭空外）とするが定かでない。