The origin and beginnings of the Hotokemai are unknown as Ancient Matsunoo-dera Temple records were lost to fire but records remain stating that the ritual was already being performed by the early Edo period.
仏舞の由来や始まりは松尾寺の古い記録が焼失してしまったため不明だが、江戸時代初期には既に舞われていた記録は残っている。