湯ゆ番ばん

noun

bath attendant; person in charge of heating and filling public baths

Historical occupation at public bathhouses (銭湯). The 湯番 was responsible for managing the fire, heating water, and maintaining the baths. The term is now mostly encountered in historical or period contexts.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいの銭せん湯とうには、湯ゆ番ばんと呼よばれる人ひとがいて、湯ゆ加か減げんを見みていた。

  In Edo-period public baths, there was a person called a 湯番 who checked the water temperature.