In Asuka period, tobishoku was called ukan and sakan, which vaguely refers to either the current plasterer and other fushingyo (construction workers) as ukan, or the plasterer and the carpenter; however, it is recorded that some Anoshu (group of stonemason), who were active in building castles in Azuchi-Momoyama period, switched jobs and became hikiya after the castle construction was terminated.
飛鳥時代には右官、左官と言う名称で今で言う左官業とそれ以外の普請業を右官といった説や左官、大工説などはっきりしないが、安土桃山時代に城普請で活躍した穴太衆（あのうしゅう）の一部が城普請が無くなってから曳き屋に転業したという記録が残っている。