There are many distinguished families within Kanze-ryu as it is a big school, and it allows families having a certain family status (being an occupational branch family or higher) to train Noh actors unlike Hosho-ryu that has all the experts have training at soke (the head family).
大流であるためにいくつもの名家があること、すべての玄人を宗家のもとで修行させる宝生流などとは異なり一定の家格を持つ家（職分家以上）に能楽師の養成を認めている。