A different theory holds that the legend of 'Takeshiba'-dera Temple as heard by SUGAWARA no Takasue's daughter, who was the author of "Sarashina Nikki" (The Sarashina Diary), had been spread by someone who wished to mythologize the ups and downs of all the generations from MUSASHI no Fuwamaro, who rose from a small local ruling family to become Kuninomiyatsuko (the heads of local governments), to MUSASHI no Takeshiba.
なお、『更級日記』で著者である菅原孝標女が武蔵国で聞いたとされる「たけしば」寺の伝説は、地方の小豪族から国造に昇った武蔵不破麻呂から武蔵武芝までの盛衰が一人の人物による伝説化して語られたものとする説もある。