"Toki wa Ima Kikyo no Hataage" is based on previous plays such as "Gion Sairei Shinkoki" (The Gion Festival Chronicle of Faith), "Mikka Taiheiki" (Three-day Chronicle of Grand Pacification), and "Ehon Taikoki" (The Illustrated Chronicles of the Regent), all covering "the Honnoji Incident" (in 1582, when Nobunaga ODA was killed.)
本能寺の変に取材した『祇園祭礼信仰記』・『三日太平記』・『絵本太功記』などの先行諸作品をもとにしている。