Renga, Carter explains, was wildly popular as early as the twelfth century: "Records tell us that each spring, at temples such as Bishamondo and Joshoji and in the Washio area of the Eastern Hills of Kyoto, large numbers of renga enthusiasts of all social classes would gather for marathon linking sessions" supervised by "hana no moto rengashi, or Masters of Renga Beneath the Blossoms." It wasn't until Basho, in the late 17th century, that hokku came into its own as a verse form.