How to Read “送る月日に関守なし”
Okuru tsukihi ni sekimori nashi
Meaning of “送る月日に関守なし”
This proverb means “the flow of time cannot be stopped by anyone, and days and months pass by mercilessly.”
No matter how much power a person holds, no matter how strict security they establish, they cannot control the flow of time. While checkpoint guards could strictly regulate passage, time—an invisible entity—passes through freely without anyone’s permission.
This proverb is used in situations where we realize that precious time in life is passing moment by moment. When we feel “a whole year has passed in the blink of an eye” or “before I knew it, I had reached this age,” it expresses both the ruthlessness of time and humanity’s position of being unable to resist its flow. Even today, when we’re caught up in busy days and realize the passage of time, we can feel the universal truth that this ancient proverb holds.
Origin and Etymology
“The passing days and months have no barrier guard” has its origins deeply connected to Japan’s transportation system from ancient times through the medieval period. “Sekimori” refers to guards who protected checkpoints, and from ancient times—from the Nara period through the Heian period—checkpoints were established on important roads connecting the capital with the provinces, strictly regulating the passage of people and goods.
Particularly famous were the “Three Barriers”: Suzuka Barrier on the Tokaido, Fuwa Barrier on the Tosando, and Arachi Barrier on the Hokurikudo. At these checkpoints, barrier guards maintained watch day and night, preventing passage of those without travel permits or suspicious individuals.
However, no matter how strict the security, only the flow of time cannot be stopped by anyone. No matter how dignified the barrier guards were in protecting their checkpoints, days and months passed by mercilessly. When spring comes, cherry blossoms bloom; when summer passes, autumn winds blow; winter arrives and spring comes again. This natural order was absolute and could not be controlled by human-made systems or power.
This proverb is thought to have emerged from ancient people’s reverence for time and their deep insight into the limits of human power. Through the concrete and familiar existence of checkpoints, it expresses the irreversibility and universality of time—truly a gem of words born from Japanese sensibility.
Interesting Facts
The profession of “sekimori” was often hereditary, passed down through generations, with people living near checkpoints and dedicating their entire lives to this duty. While they strictly regulated travelers, they also greatly contributed to the development of post towns around the checkpoints.
Interestingly, while checkpoints strictly checked human passage, the flow of “things” like goods and letters was relatively lenient. In other words, while physical entities could be managed, abstract concepts like time were completely outside the scope of management.
Usage Examples
- As they say, “The passing days and months have no barrier guard”—the children really grew up in the blink of an eye
- Being so busy that I don’t notice the seasons changing—truly “The passing days and months have no barrier guard”
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, this proverb has gained new depths of meaning. In our digital age, we spend overwhelmingly more time facing smartphone and computer screens, and perhaps we have fewer opportunities to truly feel the passage of time.
We have countless entertainments that capture our attention: social media, games, video streaming services. Many people have experienced suddenly realizing they’ve been scrolling for hours. This is truly a modern version of “The passing days and months have no barrier guard.”
On the other hand, technology has also provided new possibilities for time management. Calendar apps, reminder functions, time-tracking apps—we have acquired more precise “time guardians” than ancient barrier guards. However, even with these tools, we cannot stop the flow of time itself.
Rather, in our information society, time seems to flow even faster. News updates 24 hours a day, trends change within days, and the pace of technological innovation continues to accelerate. While ancient people felt the passage of time through seasonal changes, modern people might experience the flow of time through the speed of information updates.
What this proverb teaches us is that no matter what era we live in, the essence of time remains unchanged.
When AI Hears This
The checkpoint systems of the Edo period were the ultimate manifestation of humanity’s desire for control. At the Hakone checkpoint alone, approximately 200 people underwent strict identity verification daily, with weapons and women’s movements thoroughly managed under the policy of “incoming guns and outgoing women.” The shogunate carved up space into fragments through 53 checkpoints nationwide, achieving complete dominance over human movement.
Yet when it came to time, even the shogun was utterly powerless. One koku (roughly two hours) flowed equally for all people regardless of social status, and no authority could stop time by even a single second. While space could be controlled with boundaries declaring “no entry beyond this point,” time offered no gaps where guards could be stationed.
This contrast remains strikingly vivid today. We’ve perfected spatial control through GPS positioning, border immigration management, and building security systems. Yet time alone remains beyond manipulation, even with our most advanced AI technology. Bill Gates and Elon Musk stand in exactly the same position as Edo-period farmers when facing the flow of time.
Human control achieves tremendous power over space but surrenders completely to the dimension of time. This proverb uses the familiar metaphor of checkpoints to sharply illuminate the fundamental power dynamic between humans and natural laws—a relationship that remains unchanged even in our technologically advanced era.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches us today is how to have a good relationship with time. While we cannot stop time’s flow, how we live within that flow is up to us.
What’s important might be accepting time as an ally rather than fearing it as an enemy. Instead of panicking “there’s no time left,” we can think “let’s cherish this moment.” Rather than regretting time that has passed, we can place hope in the time that’s coming.
In modern society, efficiency and productivity tend to be overemphasized. However, this proverb offers us a different perspective. Time is not something to be managed, but something to walk alongside with its flow.
Why don’t you try not managing today like a strict barrier guard, but instead surrendering to the natural flow? Sometimes stopping to feel the changing seasons, sometimes slowly savoring time with loved ones—such ways of spending time are what truly enrich our lives.
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