Sanke are extremely popular with hobbyists in all countries, and along with Kohaku and Showa, are among the major prize winners in competitions. Their wide variety of patterns can give them a more individual appearance than Kohaku at first glance.
The word Sanke literally means tri-colour, the three colours being red, white and black.

Colours
The Sanke is a three-coloured koi with hi (red) and sumi (black) markings on a white base. The white should be the colour of snow.

Patterns
Although Sanke differ from Kohaku in that they have three colours, the criteria by which they are judged remains the same. The balance of colour and pattern is of great importance on koi.

Head
There should be no sumi on the head of a sanke. The head pattern should be a large U-shaped hi marking, which should not extend down over the eyes, the face, or as far as the mouth.

Body
Larhe hi markings are preferred down the length of the sanke’s body, completed with sumi markings, which should also extend the length of the body. Sumi markings should be small in number.
Aka Sanke: This is a Sanke whose hi markings extends the length of the body.
Maruten Sanke: This is a Sanke with a separate hi marking on his head.
Fuji Sanke: This is a name given to a Sanke with a highly metallic lustre on the head, visable as minute bubbles.

Tail
Sanke tend to suffer from too much sumi at the bottom of the tail. the colour should end cleanly just before the tail joint.

Fins
Striped sumi is preferred in all of the fins, as it is a sign of stability in the sumi over the body of the koi.