During the Middle Ages, Nohwaki took the leadership of the Noh chorus (jiutai) and because of this influence, even during the Edo period when a pro protagonists (shitekata) and pro Nohwaki (wakikata) were separated, Noh chorus was taken up mostly by pro Nohwaki.
中世期、ワキが地謡の統率者（地頭）を兼ねており、その影響で、江戸時代に入ってシテ方とワキ方が分離した時期においても地謡はワキ方が担当することが多かった。