According to the notes in Manyoshu, there had been some other anthologies before Manyoshu, such as "Kokashu (Collection of Old Poetry)," "KAKINOMOTO no Hitomaro's Collection," "Kasanokanamura Collection," "TAKAHASHI no Mushimaro's Collection of Poetry," "Book of poetry of TANABE no Sakimaro," "Ruiju-karin (Collection of Poetry)," etc., but none of them has survived.
万葉集の注記によると、万葉集以前にも『古歌集』『柿本人麻呂歌集』『笠金村歌集』『高橋虫麻呂歌集』『田辺福麻呂歌集』『類聚歌林』などがあったとされるが、現存していない。