During the Kamakura period, Manju-ji Temple was ranked as the 4th of the 10 temples and later promoted to one of the Gozan (five temples) as well as the 5th of the Kyoto Gozan but fell into decline following a fire that broke out in 1434.
室町時代には当初は十刹の第4位であったが、後に五山に昇格し、更に京都五山の第5位に数えられたが、永享6年（1434年）の火災後、衰微した。