In 1180, Minamoto no YOritomo raised an army in order to overthrow the Heike clan, and with Kamakura as his headquarters, he defeated the Heike clam in 1185. In addition, the creation of the Kamakura Government in Okura established the foundations of the samurai system of government in Japan.
In 1199, at the age of 53 Yoritomo passed away and was laid to rest at his own lace of worship, Hokkendo, which then became a very holy place as his grovesite. Hokkendo was later abolished, however traces of its location remain around the top of this hill.
It is said that the current pagoda on the site was erected by the Shimazu feudeal lord, Shimazu Shigehide.