The word 'tanomi' in Tanomi no Sekku is written in Japanese as 田の実, which literally means crops from the rice field, but this word can also be written as 頼み, which means reliance; therefore, the custom of giving presents to people you rely on spread not only among farmers, but also among buke (samurai families) and kuge (court nobles) as a means of expressing their gratitude for the kindness of their supporters.
この「たのみ」を「頼み」にかけ、武家や公家の間でも、日頃お世話になっている（頼み合っている）人に、その恩を感謝する意味で贈り物をするようになった。