Sanketsu (Three Outstanding People) (三傑)
Sanketsu means three outstanding people chosen out of those who made the greatest achievements in historical incidents or in their services to their lords.
Sengoku Sanketsu (Three Outstanding People in Warlike Period)
refers to Nobunaga ODA, Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, and Ieyasu TOKUGAWA, the three busho (Japanese military commander) from present-day Aichi Prefecture, who brought the Sengoku period to an end.
Tokugawa- Shitenno (Four Generals Serving Tokugawa Ieyasu)
refers to Tadakatsu HONDA, Yasumasa SAKAKIBARA, and Naomasa II, the three meritorious retainers of Ieyasu TOKUGAWA who had outstanding military prowess.
Sanketsu (Three Outstanding People) of DATE
refers to Kagetsuna KATAKURA, Shigezane DATE, and Tsunamoto MONIWA, the three men of the meritorious retainers of Masamune DATE who made the greatest achievements.
Sanketsu in Kanei era
refers to Toshikatsu DOI, Tadatoshi AOYAMA, and Tadayo SAKAI, who served Iemitsu TOKUGAWA.
Ishin (the Restoration) Sanketsu
referst to Takayoshi KIDO, Takamori SAIGO, and Toshimichi OKUBO, the three men who made the greatest achievements of the feudal retainers of domain and shoshi who made contributions to the overthrowing of the Shogunate and the Meiji Restoration.
Sanketsu of Han
refers to Xiao He, Zhang Liang, and Han Xin, the three who made the greatest achievements of the meritorious retainers who served Gaozu (first emperor) of the Former Han Dynasty, Liu Bang.
Sanketsu of Shu
refers to Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, the three men who made the greatest achievements of the loyal subjects who served Liu Bei, Emperor of Shu of Sangokushi (The Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms).