The Furyu school of shishimai is said to have originated from Drum Dance or Imperial Court Guards' Dance, both seen in western Japan, and a predominant theory says Furyu school of shishimai might have began when some star performers changed their headgears into "shishigashira."
起源は西日本の太鼓踊りあるいは陣役踊りといわれ、中心にいる数人が頭上のかぶり物を獅子頭に変えたものが始まりだろうという説が優勢である。