According to the "Koyo Gunkan" (record of the military exploits of the Takeda family), the first umajirushi was a gold lantern used as a second matoi (military flag) by a vassal of Ujiyasu HOJYO named Daidoji, and he obtained this lantern by defeating his enemy named Ominokami HONMA and taking his sashimono (standard for identification used on a battlefield).
『甲陽軍鑑（こうようぐんかん）』によれば、北条氏康の臣、大導寺が敵の本間近江守を討ち取って、その指物の金の提灯を小纏にしたのが初めであるとしている。