sankyo

Sankyo is a Japanese term and a romanized name that can refer to several distinct uses, depending on the kanji and context. It appears in martial arts, corporate names, and entertainment equipment, among other applications.

In martial arts, sankyo is a wrist-lock pinning technique used in Aikido and some related disciplines. It is typically described as the third technique in the common ikkyo–nikkyō–sankyo progression. The practitioner guides and twists the opponent’s wrist and forearm to create leverage on the elbow, enabling control or immobilization without resorting to excessive force. The technique emphasizes blending with an attack and using the opponent’s momentum to achieve a controlled engagement.

In corporate contexts, Sankyo refers to more than one Japanese company. One historic Sankyo Co., Ltd. was a major pharmaceutical firm founded in the early 20th century; in 2005 it merged with Daiichi to form Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., with the name continuing as part of the corporate legacy and branding. Separately, SANKYO Co., Ltd. is also a well-known Japanese manufacturer of pachinko and pachislot machines, a prominent player in the amusement machine industry. These entities are unrelated despite sharing the romanized name, and the exact kanji used for each can differ.

Because Sankyo can denote multiple, unrelated entities and terms, the precise meaning is determined by context—whether referring to a martial arts technique, a pharmaceutical company’s historical lineage, or a pachinko manufacturer.