It was after a Shinshu sect dojo (place of Buddhist practice or meditation) of Ikkoshu Hongan-ji Temple had been constructed that Imai-go (Imai Village) developed into a city and it seems that the temple village Imai with organized townscape became established.
今井郷が都市的に発展したのは、本願寺一向宗の真宗の道場を建設して以来のことで、町並の整った寺内町今井が成立してきたようである。