In the mid Edo Period which reached a peak with the Genroku era, the merchant class had real power in financial matters and Senke accepted a large number of wealthy merchants such as the head of the Mitsui family Hachiroemon as disciples.
元禄期を頂点とする江戸中期は経済の実権を町人が握り、千家は例えば三井家の当主八郎右衛門など富裕町人を大量に門弟として受け入れた。