In the Kamakura period, Emperor Kameyama and the Cloistered Emperor Go-Uda entered the temple and governed from within, which led to it being called 'Saga Palace.'
鎌倉時代になると、亀山天皇や後宇多法皇が入寺し、ここで院政を行ったため「嵯峨御所」とも呼ばれた。