Sanseki

Japanese calligraphers

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June 17, 2026

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The term Sanseki refers to three renowned Japanese calligraphers who perfected the jōdai-yō ("ancient style") of writing. These masters were Ono Tōfū, Fujiwara Yukinari, and Fujiwara Sukemasa. Ono Tōfū, active in the 10th century, is considered the first of the Sanseki and his work served as a model for subsequent Japanese calligraphy, departing from traditional Chinese styles. Fujiwara Yukinari, born in 972, was known for his calligraphic versions of Japanese and Chinese poems, as well as his personal diary. Together, these calligraphers significantly influenced the development of Japanese writing and artistic expression.12

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Fujiwara Yukinari
…known as one of the Sanseki (“Three Brush Traces”), in effect the finest calligraphers of the age. The others were Ono Tōfū and Fujiwara Sukemasa, and the three perfected the style of writing called jōdai-yō (“ancient style”).
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…known as one of the Sanseki (“Three Brush Traces”), in effect the finest calligraphers of the age. The others were Ono Tōfū and Fujiwara Sukemasa, and the three perfected the style of writing called jōdai-yō (“ancient style”).
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Ono Tōfū
…known as one of the Sanseki (“Three Brush Traces”), in effect the first calligraphers of the age. The others were Fujiwara Yukinari and Fujiwara Sukemasa, and the three perfected the style of writing called jōdai-yō (“ancient style”).
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…known as one of the Sanseki (“Three Brush Traces”), in effect the first calligraphers of the age. The others were Fujiwara Yukinari and Fujiwara Sukemasa, and the three perfected the style of writing called jōdai-yō (“ancient style”).
Read More