According to "Todai-ji zoryu kuyoki" (Records of the Service to Celebrate the Construction of Todai-ji Temple), this building was originally a donation from Shigeyoshi TAGUCHI mentioned before, and then used as a branch temple of Todai-ji Temple.
『東大寺造立供養記』によれば、これは元々、前述の田口成良の寄進物で、それを東大寺別所と改められたものだという。