It was at its height from the beginning of the Kanei era to the Kanbun era, and the performers in priestly attire showed the performances of kadotsuke (also called as kadozekkyo, which represents a performance in front of the gate of a house) or the performances with an umbrella stood on a street accompanied by sasara (a percussion instrument made of finely split bamboo and played by rubbing against a ridged rod), shoko (a small gong), and kakko (a small drum used in the Court music of Japan and hit with sticks at each end).
寛永の始めから寛文頃までがその全盛期で、僧形の芸人が門付け（門説経）や、街角に傘を立ててささら・鉦鼓・羯鼓を伴奏として興行を行った。