Its temple legend says that it was originally called Reisho-zan, and one of the Iwabuchi senbo (one thousand temple lodgings located in precipitous terrain) founded by Gonso Daitoku, a mentor of Kukai.
寺伝では、元は霊松山といい、空海の師である勤操大徳によってに開かれた巌渕千坊の一つであったという。