Japan, since ancient times, has groups called 'kumi' that offer employment or apprenticeships in various fields and, simply put, tekiya are businesses and mutual aid societies (as well as the people who found them) based on the traditional Japanese mentor-apprentice system (also referred as the relationship of Oyabun-kobun, Oyakata kokata [father-son], Kyodaibun [brother-brother], kyodai deshi [fellow pupil]).
日本は古来から様々な職業において「組」と言う徒弟制度や雇用関係があり、的屋も噛み砕いて表現すれば、親分子分（親方子方・兄弟分・兄弟弟子）の関係を基盤とする企業や互助団体、その構成する人々でもある。