As the name suggests, the style is thought to have originated, or at least become common, in the Imperial court during the Heian Period of Japanese history, when noble women would sometimes grow out their hair for their entire lives.
Seperti namanya, gaya ini diperkirakan berasal, atau setidaknya menjadi umum, di pengadilan Imperial selama periode Heian dalam sejarah Jepang, ketika bangsawan wanita kadang-kadang akan tumbuh rambut mereka untuk seluruh hidup mereka.