Historical term for a person who guarded a gate, especially at a theater or entertainment district in the Edo period. Not used for modern doormen or security guards.
In the Edo period, the gatekeeper at a playhouse managed the admission of customers.
Compound of 木戸 (きど, 'wooden gate') and 番 (ばん, 'watch, guard'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is associated with Edo-period theater culture.