Translation guide
The English word "sanctuary" can refer to a sacred space, a place of refuge, or a protected area for wildlife. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
A consecrated area within a religious building, especially the most sacred part.
A place offering protection from danger or pursuit, often with legal or moral immunity.
A shelter or refuge, especially from disasters or danger. Commonly used for evacuation centers.
A protected area where animals and plants are conserved, often free from hunting or development.
A designated conservation area or reserve for wildlife.
聖域 emphasizes sacredness or inviolability, while 避難所 is purely about physical safety from danger. Use 聖域 for religious or metaphorical sanctuaries, and 避難所 for disaster shelters.
The loanword サンクチュアリ is sometimes used in Japanese, especially for wildlife sanctuaries or in fantasy contexts, but it is less common than native terms. Overusing it may sound unnatural.
General term for a sacred area or holy ground, often used for the innermost part of a shrine or temple.
その神社の聖域には一般の人は入れません。
Ordinary people cannot enter the sanctuary of that shrine.
Specifically the inner sanctuary or chancel of a Christian church, where the altar is located.
教会の内陣には美しいステンドグラスがあります。
There is beautiful stained glass in the church sanctuary.
The main sanctuary building of a Shinto shrine, where the deity is enshrined.
参拝者は本殿の前でお祈りをします。
Worshippers pray in front of the sanctuary.
地震の後、多くの人が避難所に集まりました。
After the earthquake, many people gathered at the sanctuary.
Also used metaphorically for a place of inviolable refuge, like a diplomatic sanctuary.
大使館は一種の聖域と見なされます。
Embassies are considered a kind of sanctuary.
A place to escape to; a refuge. More casual and physical than 聖域.
彼にとって図書館は心の逃げ場だった。
For him, the library was a sanctuary for his soul.
A hideout or secret refuge, often used for a cozy, private retreat.
山の中の小さな小屋が私の隠れ家です。
A small cabin in the mountains is my sanctuary.
The island is designated as a bird sanctuary.
Specifically a game sanctuary where hunting is prohibited.
この森は禁猟区なので、動物が安心して暮らしています。
This forest is a sanctuary, so animals live here safely.
A broader term for a nature conservation area, often used in official contexts.
その湿地帯は自然保護区域に指定されています。
The wetland is designated as a nature sanctuary.