番屋
ば
ん
や
Meanings
1
sentry box; guardhouse; guard lodge
A small building or post where a guard or watchman is stationed. Can refer to modern security booths or historical guard posts.
A guardhouse is placed at the entrance of the construction site.
We kept watch all night in the guard lodge at the fishing port.
2
Edo-period police box
Historical term for a neighborhood watch post or police box during the Edo period. Often associated with the 自身番 (jishinban) system.
See also: 自身番
In the Edo period, the town police box was also called a jishinban.