From Japanese玄関(げんかん genkan), from Middle Chinese 玄關 (hwen-kwæn "entrance to Buddhist knowledge", by metaphor "front door') (compare Mandarinxuánguān 玄关), from Old Chinese玄 (*ɢʷˁin "dark", "profound") + 關 (*kˁron "barrier", "gate").
The entryway to a Japanese house, where street shoes are removed and houseshoes put on before entering the house, and house shoes removed and street shoes put on before leaving the house