In order to pray for the soul of his beloved child Tsurumatsu (Sutemaru) who died aged 3, Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI built Shoun-ji Temple in 1591 and invited the Myoshin-ji Temple monk, Nanka Genko to serve as founding priest.
祥雲寺は、豊臣秀吉が、3歳で死去した愛児鶴松（棄丸）の菩提のため、天正19年（1591年）、妙心寺の僧・南化玄興を開山に招いて建立した寺であった。