Kawagoe Kita-in Temple was founded in Tencho 7 (830) by Emperor Junna as a royal palace by Ennin, a priest of Jikaku Daishi. 

During the war in 1202, the temple was burnt down. Under Emperor Fushimi’s order, it was rebuilt in 1296 and managed by the priest Tenkai. The temple reached such fame and influence that when it was burnt down in 1638, Iemitsu transferred part of Edo Castle to Kita-in, the northern hall of the temple. These structures included reception rooms, studies, kitchen, bathrooms and even Iemitsu’s birth room in Edo Castle and the dressing room used by his wet-nurse Kasuga no Tsubone, who then became the mistress of the inner palace of the Edo Castle.

Due to the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923, Kawagoe Kita-in Temple contains only some structures from the original Edo Castle.