Kanzashi was most popular during the middle of the Edo period and ornament artisans using their refined techniques specializing in hair ornaments produced various kinds of kanzashi, such as hirate-kanzashi (kanzashi of flattened metal), tama-kanzashi (kanzashi with balls), hana-kanzashi (flower kanzashi) and birabira-kanzashi (kanzashi with hanging ornaments).
江戸時代中期に最大の隆盛を見せ、髪飾り専門の飾り職人が技術の粋を凝らした平打簪、玉簪、花簪、びらびら簪などさまざまな種類の簪がある。