An Imperial order that utao (men who sing songs handed down from ancient times), utame (women who sing songs handed down from ancient times), and fuefukimono (flute player) had to hand down their artistic skills to their descendants and have them practice the skills, was announced in 684 and, later on in 778, an article called ("Kyokunsho") was present which collected 'the secrets of handing down in various families' and, therefore, it is considered that secret songs to hand down from father to son were present in those days.
白鳳13年（684年）に歌男・歌女・笛吹者は子孫に伝えて歌笛を習わしめよという詔勅があり、下って宝亀9年（778年）には「家々の伝受の秘説」を集めた（『教訓抄』）という記事があるため、この頃には父子相伝の秘曲が存在していたと思われる。