Yoriyuki is said to have been inspired by a Zen monk Muso Soseki in his youth and later practiced Zen Buddhism and built a number of temples including Keitoku-ji Temple and Jizo-in Temple (Nishikyo Ward) in Kyoto and Kosho-ji Temple in Awa.
頼之は幼少に禅僧である夢窓疎石から影響を受けたとされ、禅宗を信仰して京都に景徳寺、地蔵院(京都市西京区)、阿波の光勝寺などの建立を行う。