According to the afterword, the first draft was written around 996, and Sachujo (guard of the Imperial Palace) MINAMOTO no Tsunefusa took the draft from the author's residence and brought it before the eyes of the world.
初稿の成立は同じく跋文によれば長徳二年（996年）頃で、左中将源経房が作者の家から持ち出して世上に広めた。