Learn Japanese with Sanctuary
Updated June 28, 2026
Yes, Sanctuary is a C1-level pick for Japanese learners. This live-action sumo drama combines the delinquent hero's rough, rapid-fire street slang with dense specialised sumo terminology and steep stable-hierarchy keigo. It is the hardest listen of the set, a genuine C1 challenge.
- Difficulty
- C1
- Genre
- drama, sports
- Platform
- Netflix
Japanese words you'll hear in Sanctuary
- 相撲
- sumo (sumou)
- 力士
- sumo wrestler (rikishi)
- 稽古
- training, practice (keiko)
- 親方
- stable master, boss (oyakata)
- 番付
- ranking list (banzuke)
How to learn Japanese with Sanctuary
Install LingoBinge, set your language to Japanese, and play Sanctuary on Netflix. LingoBinge swaps a few subtitle words into Japanese at your level, and you tap any word to translate, hear, and save it for spaced review.
Useful Japanese vocabulary
More Japanese shows
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sanctuary hard for Japanese learners?
- Yes, it is C1. It mixes fast street slang with specialised sumo vocabulary and hierarchical keigo, so it suits advanced learners; graded subtitles help everyone else follow it.