The Sansenke was established as follows; Sosa KOSHIN, who was the third son of the third head of Omotesenke, SEN no Sotan, inherited the family estate and founded Fushin-an Omotesenke; Sotan's fourth son, Soshitsu SENSO, inherited the retreat of Sotan and founded Konnichi-an Urasenke; and the second son, Soshu ICHIO, who had been once adopted and had left the house, came back to Senke and called himself Kankyu-an Mushanokojisenke.
表千家三代千宗旦の三男江岑宗左が家督を継承し不審菴表千家となり、宗旦の隠居所を四男仙叟宗室が継ぎ今日庵裏千家となり、さらに一度養子に出ていた次男一翁宗守が千家に戻り官休庵武者小路千家を称し、三千家が成立した。