There were two types of Kyoka ren (groups): groups made up mainly of samurai, such as Yamanote-ren led by Nanbo OTA and Yotsuya-ren with Kisshu KARAGOROMO; those made up mainly of citizens, including Sakaimachi-ren formed by the Fifth Danjuro Ichikawa and his followers, and Yoshiwara-ren led by Juzaburo TSUTAYA and based in Yoshiwara.
大田南畝の率いる山の手連、唐衣橘洲らの四谷連など武士中心の連のほか、町人を中心としたものも多く、市川團十郎(5代目)とその取り巻きが作った堺町連や、蔦屋重三郎ら吉原を中心にした吉原連などもあった。