He is known as the guardian of this forest.
The custodians of traditional culture are decreasing.
Archaic term for a person assigned to keep watch, such as a lookout or sentry. Not used in modern Japanese outside historical contexts.
The castle's watchman kept watch all night.
番人 specifically means a watchman or guard, focusing on the duty of watching over a place, whereas 守り手 can imply a broader protective role.
Standard kanji spelling for 'guardian' or 'protector'.
Alternate kanji spelling emphasizing protection; less common than 守り手.
Compound of 守り (mamori, 'protection') + 手 (te, 'person'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern for agent nouns.