The temple was established by Kita no Mandokoro (Kodaiin), the lawful wife of Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, to pray for the soul of her late husband, and it was named 'Kodai-ji' after the name taken by Kita no Mandokoro when she became a Buddhist nun.
豊臣秀吉の正室である北政所（高台院）が秀吉の冥福を祈るため建立した寺院であり、寺号は北政所の落飾（仏門に入る）後の院号である高台院にちなむ。