The first appearance of toka in historical materials was in an article about 'toka performed by Han Chinese and others' on March 1 (January 16 by the lunar calendar), 693 which is included in the "Nihonshoki" (Chronicle of Japan).
踏歌の史料初見は、『日本書紀』の持統天皇7年正月16日記事の「漢人等奏踏歌」である。