The first appearance of Hikihitomai in written records is the description at the section of March, the eighth year of the Emperor Buretsu's era in "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan), that "the emperor indulges himself in wanton pleasures by gathering many short people and actors to make them play queer performances and barnyard music."
文献初出は『日本書紀』武烈天皇8年3月の条に、「大に侏儒倡優を進めて爛漫の楽を為す、奇偉之戯を設けて靡靡之声を縦にす」とあるものである。