When it was built, it was called 'Sugawara-dera' as it was located in Sugawara-no-sato (Sugawara Village), which is the supposed birthplace of SUGAWARA no Michizane.
創建当初は菅原道真の生誕地と伝わる菅原の里にあることから「菅原寺」と呼ばれていた。