By Andrés Muñoz
What do you immediately think of when you hear the country “Japan” mentioned? Sushi… anime… samurais…?
Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve been fascinated by how much of a cultural powerhouse Japan is. Whether it is anime, music, or the island’s rich history, Japanese culture is very present in today’s society. And happily, it can now be seen in Netflix’s latest sports drama, Sanctuary.
In it, we have a door opened into the world of Japanese sumo wrestling. We see the traditions, rituals, and general challenges in a sumo wrestler’s life. Released on May 4th, 2023, the first season is now available for all Netflix users. Here’s what to expect.
Sanctuary orbits around the life of Kiyoshi Oze, a violent young man who enters the world of sumo drawn by the promise of quick money thanks to his physical abilities. Kiyoshi is scouted by a sumo master and welcomed into his heya, or sumo stable, where we observe the strict and controlling lifestyle that sumo wrestlers—or rikishi—are subjected to.
We are given an outsider’s glimpse of this world through the eyes of Asuka Kunishima, a journalist transferred from a newspaper’s political department to the sumo correspondents’ section. Outspoken and progressive, she is initially against several elements sumo wrestlers must live with. Still, little by little, she begins to understand the sacredness and traditions of the sport itself.
Life As A Sumo Wrestler
A sumo heya is a communal living environment where all professional sumo wrestlers must belong, regardless of rank. Whether you’re a top-level yokozuna or a mere jonokuchi, all professional sumo wrestlers must belong to a stable. Sumo is one of the few sports where all athletes share a communal lifestyle. This commitment to the sport creates a sense of brotherhood that the series portrays magnificently.
The world of sumo is deeply entrenched in tradition, both from a religious and community living standpoint. Stemming from the Japanese Shinto religion, there are many spiritual elements present. These range from the wrestlers throwing salt into the ring before a fight to ward off evil spirits to each stable having a shrine of its own so rikishi can pay respects and seek blessings before a match. There is even a canopy that resembles a Shinto shrine that hangs above the ring in competitions.
The intense living conditions in the heya are shown throughout the series, with Kiyoshi and the other rikishi often hazed by their higher-ranking members. Hazing and a stratified living are a standard part of life in a heya, with the higher-ranking wrestlers being served food first by their lower-ranking counterparts. They are also allowed to bathe and shower first. In some cases, disrespectful rikishi are tied to a post and struck by the other stable members.
This happens a few times to Kiyoshi, as he is reluctant to respect the stable’s shrine and disobeys the traditional aspects of the heya. When he is defeated by another wrestler, Kiyoshi even gets sand shoved in his mouth so “he is no longer hungry”. Never willing to back down, Kiyoshi chews and swallows the sand in front of his confounded opponent.
Kiyoshi’s Highs And Lows
Kiyoshi—now with the sumo wrestler name Enno—keeps scoffing at tradition during his first tournament. He laughs while watching other bouts, trash talks to his competitor inside the sacred ring—also known as the dohyo—and showboats for the audience after defeating his opponent. This irritates the sumo association officials and makes Enno be viewed as a disgrace to the sport.
This continues for a few episodes until he is obliterated by another rikishi named Shizuuchi, a huge and imposing man with a big scar on his face and a terrible past. Enno gets his teeth knocked out, and his ear must be surgically reattached after the fight. A few weeks after his defeat, his stable faces another stable in what is known as a degeiko, or a friendly training competition. Enno is still reeling from his shocking loss to Shizuuchi and is easily defeated.
Only after this does our protagonist double down on who he is and wishes to become. Enno focuses, watches videos of his opponents in the ring, and engages in additional training on his own. He also becomes more humble and begins to respect the sacred rituals of sumo. We see his growth and that of other members of the stable thanks to his dedication and discipline.
The season finale ends with a cliffhanger, which I’ll not spoil for you. But the foundations are set for a thrilling second season. Sanctuary gives us an insider’s perspective on sumo that is thrilling and gripping, a rare feat when it comes to screen-based depictions of the sport.
Have you seen the series already? Did you enjoy it as much as I did? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!