The temple was first founded in 1367, by a Japanese monk from Satsuma province by the name of Raijū[2] and with the patronage of the royal government of Chūzan, as a companion to the Naminoue Shrine already located on the bluff, overlooking the beach and ocean.

Working as a lay medical missionary under the auspices of the Loochoo Naval Mission, when Bettelheim's ship, HMS Starling, arrived at Naha, the Okinawan port master protested that he should not be allowed to disembark.

Over the missionary's objections, the Commodore established an American base within the grounds of the Gokoku-ji, including a fenced-off area for grazing cattle, something which drew strong protest from the Ryukyuan authorities.

[5] When Perry departed from his second visit to Okinawa a year later (having left and returned once in the interim), he was offered, among other gifts from the Kingdom to the United States, a temple bell from Shuri.

The inscription upon it reads in part "May the sound of this bell shatter illusory dreams, perfect the souls of mankind, and enable the King and his subjects to live so virtuously that barbarians will find no occasion to invade the Kingdom.