According to legend, a child appeared to Shinran and presented him with seeds and a staff, which he planted in this place to establish the temple.

[2] According to historical documentation, Senju-ji was constructed with the patronage of the Ōuchi clan, rulers of Mooka Castle, to enshrine a Zenko-ji-style Amida triad, and was entrusted to Shinbutsu, one of Shinran's closest disciples.

Shinran resided here for seven years before returning to Kyoto, and his followers made it an important center in spreading his teachings in eastern Japan.

The Honzan Senju-ji (本山専修寺) in the city of Tsu, Mie Prefecture is traditionally said to have been founded by the monk Shinne, who had arrived from Takada.

[9] The Notes on Guidance Toward Birth in the West (西方指南抄, saihō shinanshō) is a compilation in six volumes of the words, teachings, and practices of Shinran's teacher Hōnen.