{{no footnotes|date=October 2019}} The term ''Sanpitsu'' (三筆) or "three brushes" is used in Japanese to refer to a group of three famous Heian period calligraphers:
*Emperor Saga 嵯峨天皇, 786–842. *Kūkai 空海, 774–835. *Tachibana no Hayanari, 橘逸勢 c. 782-842.
Later groups of calligraphers were named in imitation of the original Sanpitsu.
==Kan'ei Sanpitsu (寛永三筆)==
Named for the Kan'ei period in which they flourished:
*Honami Kōetsu 本阿弥光悦, 1558-1637 *Konoe Nobutada 近衛信尹, 1565-1614 *Shōkadō Shōjō 松花堂昭乗, 1584-1639
==Ōbaku no Sanpitsu (黄檗三筆)==
Zen Chinese calligraphers who worked in Japan. * Ingen Ryūki, 隱元隆琦 1592-1673 * Mokuan Shōtō,木庵性瑫 1611-1684 * Sokuhi Nyoitsu, 即非如一 1616-1671
==Bakumatsu no Sanpitsu (幕末の三筆)== * Ichikawa Beian (市河米庵) 1779-1858 * Nukina Sūō (貫名菘翁) 1778-1863 * Maki Ryōko (巻菱湖) 1777-1843
==Meiji no Sanpitsu (明治の三筆)== *Nakabayashi Gochiku (中林梧竹) 1827-1913 *Kusakabe Meikaku (日下部鳴鶴) 1838-1922 *Iwaya Ichiroku (巌谷一六) 1834-1905
==Shōwa no Sanpitsu (昭和の三筆)== *Hibino Gohō (日比野五鳳) 1901-1985 *Teshima Yūkei (手島右卿) 1901-1987 *Nishikawa Yasushi (西川寧) 1902-1989
==See also== * Sanseki, a similar group of renowned calligraphers
==References== *神田喜一郎,「三筆について」(書道全集 第11巻)(Heibonsha, 1965)
Category:Japanese calligraphers Category:Trios Category:Japanese culture-related lists