For old songs in Saibara, there are 'Agakoma' in Volume 12 of "Manyoshu"(Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves), and 'Kazuraki', a children's song sung during the enthronement of the Emperor Konin in "Shoku Nihongi" (Chronicle of Japan Continued) and "Nihon genho zenaku ryoiki" (set of three books of Buddhist stories, written in the late 8th and early 9th century, usually referred to as the Nihon Ryouiki), 'Imogakado' in Volume 11 of "Manyoshu," and 'Kawakuchi' in 'Kokin Rokujo' (Kokin waka rokujo).
催馬楽のなかの古歌は、「我駒」が『万葉集』巻12にあり、「葛城」は光仁天皇即位のときの童謡で『続日本紀』、『日本現報善悪霊異記』にあり、「妹之門」は『万葉集』巻11にあり、「河口」は「古今六帖」にある。