It is not known when the book was written, but some people say that one of the motivations to write it was to initiate Yusoku kojitsu to his son MINAMOTO no Toshikata who had been sent to Dazai-fu with him during the Anwa Incident.
本書の執筆年代は不明であるが、動機の1つとして安和の変の際にともに大宰府に送られた息子源俊賢に有職故実を伝授するために執筆されたとする見方もある。