The temple, which had been under the aegis of Yorifusa TOKUGAWA and Iemitsu TOKUGAWA, and founded with Gyokuho Seiin (Sarahime, a daughter of Yorifusa TOKUGAWA) in the post of the chief priest, continued to invite daughters from Mito Tokugawa family for the chief priest post, which seemed to be why it called 'Mito Goten Palace' or 'nunnery temple of Mito.'
徳川頼房や、徳川家光から庇護をうけ、はじめ玉峰清因（徳川頼房の娘小良姫）を門主に迎えて開基したこともあり、代々水戸徳川家の子女を門主に迎えていため、「水戸御殿」や「水戸の尼寺」ともいわれたいう。