Legend has it that, following the death of Prince Shotoku-Taishi, three wet nurses, Tsukimasuhime, Himasuhime, Tamaterahime (the daughters of Sogano Umako, Ono-no Imoko, and Mono-nobe-no Moriya), shaved their heads, entered buddhist priesthood and built this temple in front of Prince Taishi’s grave to pray for his happiness in the next world.
On the south side of the temple, in a graveyard, three stone monuments of the Mausoleum of San-Ama-ko remain. The principal buddhist objects of worship, Amidanyorai and the Juichimen Kannon Bosatsu Statue, are said to be the works of Prince Shotoku-Taishi and Eshinzozu respectively.