Tosa Kokubun-ji pertenece actualmente a la secta Shingon-shu Chisan-ha, aunque fue fundado originalmente en 741 y cambió de afiliación posteriormente.

Kūkai practiced secret hoshiku rituals here in 815 to ward off evil spirits. The temple became the main training hall for these esoteric teachings, and his statue is still called the Hoshi-ku Daishi.