According to the tradition, Mt. Ikoma is a Buddhist seminary for the mountain asceticism founded by EN no Ozunu (A semi-legendary holy man noted for his practice of mountain asceticism during the second half of the 7 century) in 655, and it is said that Kukai (Kobo Daishi [a posthumous title of the priest Kukai]) also practiced here.
生駒山は伝承によれば斉明天皇元年（655年）に役小角が開いたとされる修験道場で、空海（弘法大師）も修行したと伝わる。