Miroku Bosatsu (Maitreya Bodhisattva, the future Buddha) revealed himself to Kōbō Daishi here, so Kōbō Daishi carved a 2 foot 6 inch statue of him and founded the temple. Even though the temple has burned down from time to time, the statue has always escaped damage. Emperors throughout history have repeatedly patronized this temple.

Legend states that a wife carried her crippled husband five times around the entire pilgrimage, all the while praying to the Daishi for his help in curing the husband. On the sixth circuit, she and her husband swore that they would commit suicide if he wasn't healed by the end of that trip. When they reached Temple 14, the husband was healed and he and his wife walked the remainder of the pilgrimage together.

Many disabled and crippled people visit this temple to benefit from the honzon's healing power. Chopsticks are sold here as souvenirs. Called chōmeibashi, they bring longevity to their users.