were recognised as a group in the beginning of the Edo period. Due to the limited size of their clientele, they were never numerous; during their peak there were approximately 40  working in Kyoto in the Shimabara district.
These individuals were recognized as a group during the early Edo period. Their limited customer base resulted in them never being numerous; during their peak, there were roughly 40 people working in Kyoto's Shimabara district.