The three SEN families are the lineage of Shoan, adopted son of Rikyu, and Shoan's son SEN no Sotan, who had served the Daitoku-ji Temple as Kasshiki but returned to secular life and reestablished the SEN family, setting up his residence in front of Honpo-ji Temple in Kyoto, which belongs to the Omotesenke and Urasenke now.
三千家は利休の養子となった宗恩の連れ子千少庵の系譜であり、大徳寺の渇食であったその息子千宗旦が還俗して家を再興し、現在の表千家・裏千家の地所である京都の本法寺前に屋敷を構えた。