It had been suggested that the road had existed prior to the transfer of national capital to the city of Heian-kyo, or that it had been constructed by Emperor Toba when Toba-dono Palace was built, but it was regarded as the road which had been constructed in order to transport supplies from the Yodo-gawa River when the Heian-kyo capital was being built.
平安遷都以前からの道とする説や鳥羽天皇が鳥羽殿が造営した際に築かれたとする説もあるが、平安京建設時に淀川から物資を運搬するために作られた道であると考えられている。