Japanese kayo are seen among the works in "Kojiki" (The Records of Ancient Matters), "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan), "Fudoki" (records of the culture and geography of provinces of Japan) and "Manyoshu" (the oldest anthology of tanka).
日本の歌謡は、『古事記』『日本書紀』『風土記』や『万葉集』に所載されたものから見ることができる。