How to Read “行き大名の帰り乞食”
Iki daimyou no kaeri kojiki
Meaning of “行き大名の帰り乞食”
This proverb describes starting out with great vigor and luxury, but running out of funds along the way and returning in a miserable state.
It is particularly used to warn against situations where one indulges in excessive luxury at the beginning of a trip or business venture, only to find oneself in financial difficulty later. It is a cautionary expression that teaches the foolishness of unplanned spending and showing off too much.
Even today, this applies to situations like spending too much money on luxury hotels and fine dining at the start of an overseas trip, only to run out of funds before returning home and being unable to afford a proper meal at the airport. It also applies to entrepreneurs who invest too much in luxurious offices and equipment to show off when starting their business, only to later struggle with cash flow. In essence, it is used as an ironic expression highlighting the gap between initial momentum and final misery.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of this proverb is deeply connected to the sankin-kotai (alternate attendance) system of the Edo period. Sankin-kotai was a system where daimyo from each domain alternated yearly between Edo and their territories, serving the shogun in Edo.
“Going lord” refers to the magnificence of the daimyo procession when heading to Edo. To demonstrate their dignity, daimyo would travel with entourages of hundreds, sometimes over a thousand people, dressed in gorgeous attire and forming grand processions to Edo. People along the route would prostrate themselves in greeting, and the sight was truly a symbol of power and wealth.
However, the “return beggar” part is the core of this proverb. The long stay in Edo and maintaining the luxurious procession required enormous expenses. Particularly on the return journey, having already spent vast amounts, funds would often run out, making the return trip modest in stark contrast to the outbound journey. Many daimyo would reduce the number of attendants, simplify their accessories, and return to their domains looking like completely different people.
This system was also a policy by the shogunate to drain the financial resources of each domain, so many daimyo families fell into economic hardship, making the contrast between the outbound and return journeys even more pronounced.
Interesting Facts
The cost of sankin-kotai is said to have been equivalent to hundreds of millions to tens of billions of yen in today’s value. Large domains like the Kaga domain sometimes consumed one-third of their annual budget just on the round trip to Edo.
Records remain of daimyo who actually became “return beggars,” borrowing money from their retainers or taking advances from merchants to somehow make it back to their territories.
Usage Examples
- We kept going to expensive restaurants at the start of our honeymoon, but ended up in a Going lord’s return beggar situation by the end
- He had a luxurious office when he first started his business, but now it’s Going lord’s return beggar and he’s moved to a small office
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the meaning of this proverb has become applicable to more familiar and diverse situations. With the spread of social media, the barrier to “showing off” has lowered, and more people are making unreasonable expenditures to create the appearance of a luxurious lifestyle on platforms like Instagram.
Particularly among younger generations, cases frequently occur where people spend large amounts on expensive meals and accommodation for “Instagram-worthy” photos while traveling, only to be shocked by their credit card bills after returning home. Among freelancers and entrepreneurs as well, examples continue of making investments beyond their means to appeal their success, only to later struggle with cash flow.
On the other hand, in modern times, more people are trying to spend money systematically due to improved financial literacy. The spread of household budget apps and budget management tools has also created an environment where it’s easier to avoid “Going lord’s return beggar” situations.
However, the spread of cashless payments has created new risks where the sense of spending money becomes diluted, leading to overspending without realizing it. The modern version of “Going lord’s return beggar” could be said to be a pitfall unique to the digital age. This proverb continues to function as a universal lesson that warns against the fundamental human weaknesses of vanity and lack of planning, regardless of how times change.
When AI Hears This
The structure of Edo period daimyo going bankrupt from showing off during sankin-kotai and the structure of modern people falling into hidden poverty by staging “Instagram-worthy lives” on social media are remarkably similar.
Daimyo would form processions with luxurious kimono and large retinues of retainers to display their dignity to other daimyo and commoners during their journey to Edo. However, on the return trip, they would be short on money and end up looking shabby. Even today, cases are rapidly increasing of people who continuously post photos of high-end restaurants and luxury brand items on Instagram while actually being drowning in debt.
What’s interesting is that both groups spend beyond their means for the sake of “evaluation by others.” Daimyo were evaluated by the currency of “prestige,” while modern people are evaluated by “likes,” but the essence is the same desire for approval.
Even more noteworthy is that both have an addictive quality of “once you start, you can’t stop.” If daimyo lowered their prestige, they would lose face, and modern people also fear that suddenly posting modest content would make them appear “fallen from grace.”
In other words, the human instinct of vanity remains unchanged regardless of the era, and despite changes in technology and social systems, it continues to trap people in the same snare. Social media has become a new form of “sankin-kotai” that creates modern hidden poverty.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches modern people is the importance of a “sustainable way of living.” While temporary vanity and momentum are necessary in life, it’s important to always be conscious of overall balance so that they don’t lead to collapse.
Particularly in modern society, information flows quickly and opportunities to compare with others have increased. In such times, we need the courage to cherish our own pace and make choices that fit our circumstances. Let’s acquire the wisdom to choose continuity over luxury, and long-term stability over temporary brilliance.
This proverb is also a warning against being too afraid of failure. Rather than doing nothing for fear of becoming a “return beggar,” taking moderate risks while gaining experience makes life richer. What’s important is learning from failures and becoming able to make wiser judgments next time. For those of us living in modern times, this proverb serves as a valuable life guideline that teaches us the balance between planning and a spirit of challenge.
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