Oda Nobunaga's general Sakuma Nobumori used this temple as his military headquarters during battles against the Ikkō-ikki movement in the Sengoku period.

常楽寺は「西寺」とも呼ばれ、近くの長寿寺は「東寺」と呼ばれます。

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was so impressed by this temple that he removed its 1452 gate for his own Fushimi Castle. Tokugawa Ieyasu later moved it again to Mii-dera, where it still stands today.

常楽寺の本堂（Hondō）は国宝に指定されています。