How to Read “Three years of endurance even in the thorns”
Ibara no naka ni mo sannen no shinbō
Meaning of “Three years of endurance even in the thorns”
“Three years of endurance even in the thorns” means that no matter how difficult and painful your situation is, if you endure patiently for three years, a path will surely open and you will be rewarded.
It teaches the importance of not giving up and continuing to persevere, even in painful circumstances like being pricked by thorns.
This proverb is used to encourage people who are facing difficulties right now. When painful situations continue, such as work not going well, studies not sticking, or struggling with relationships, these words offer hope.
They remind us that even though things are hard now, good results will surely come if we endure.
Even today, this saying is used to convey the value of persistence to people who are struggling to adapt to new environments or feeling discouraged on the long road to achieving their goals.
Rather than simply saying “do your best,” showing a specific timeframe helps ease the anxiety of not seeing the goal.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records remain about the origin of this proverb, but we can make interesting observations from its components.
“Ibara” (thorns) have long been familiar to Japanese people. These thorny shrubs grow wild in fields and mountains, spreading densely as if refusing human entry.
In Heian period literature, thorns appear as symbols of desolate places and difficulties.
These plants have an interesting quality: if left alone, they spread endlessly, but if people keep walking through them, a path eventually forms.
The “three years” timeframe is also meaningful. Japan has a similar proverb, “three years even on a stone,” but three years has been recognized as sufficient time for the seasons to cycle three times.
It’s enough time for a person to master something or adapt to an environment.
In agricultural society, some say that experiencing three crop cultivation cycles was considered enough to become competent.
This proverb combines the concrete act of continuing through thorns with the clear timeframe of three years. It expresses the abstract concept of “endurance” in a form everyone can understand.
It’s believed to condense the experiential wisdom of Japanese people: that if you continue making efforts even in difficult situations, a path will surely open.
Interesting Facts
Thorns actually have a natural tendency to die off in places where people frequently pass. The roots get damaged from being stepped on, and branches reaching for sunlight get broken.
So if people keep walking through, a path really does form. This proverb may have been born from observations based on botanical facts.
The three-year period also relates to traditional Japanese training periods. In many craftsman worlds, the idea of “three years as one milestone” took root.
Three years to learn the basics, then another three years to polish skills.
Usage Examples
- It’s been six months since I transferred to a new department and I’m still not used to it, but I tell myself “three years of endurance even in the thorns”
- My startup keeps losing money, but I intend to hold on, believing in the words “three years of endurance even in the thorns”
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “Three years of endurance even in the thorns” contains deep insight into human psychology when facing difficulties and the changes that time brings.
When people are placed in painful situations, they feel as if the current suffering will last forever. In darkness with no visible exit, many choose to give up.
However, our ancestors knew from experience that no matter how difficult something is, it will surely change with time and continuous effort.
This proverb shows a specific period of “three years” because it deeply understands human psychology. When told vaguely “someday,” people cannot maintain hope.
But with a clear target of three years, the strength to endure today wells up. Hope for tomorrow supports today’s endurance.
This proverb also teaches the truth that “change happens gradually.” A thorny path doesn’t open overnight.
Little by little each day, changes too small to see accumulate until they become a solid path. Human growth and improvement of circumstances progress the same way, taking time.
Our ancestors cautioned against human impatience for immediate results. They embedded in this proverb the importance of believing in the power of time as an ally.
When AI Hears This
Brain science research shows that when adapting to new environments or habits, it takes about 1,000 days, or just under three years, for neural circuits to physically reorganize.
It’s no coincidence that this number nearly matches “three years of endurance.”
The human brain has a quality called “neuroplasticity.” This is the brain’s ability to physically change through experience.
For example, when you keep placing yourself in a thorny environment, at first the amygdala reacts intensely, saying “painful, dangerous.”
But with repeated exposure to the same stimulus, the brain gradually re-recognizes that situation as “normal mode.”
What’s interesting is that this change progresses in stages. In the first six months, the amygdala’s overreaction begins to calm down.
Around a year and a half, the prefrontal cortex learns new coping patterns. By the third year, the neural circuits themselves finally stabilize.
In other words, “thorns ceasing to be thorns” isn’t just a matter of attitude. It’s the result of the brain’s wiring actually changing.
Even more surprising is the fact that if you interrupt this period midway, the brain reverts to its original circuits.
That’s why the specific period of “three years” is important. It indicates the minimum baseline for the brain’s physical remodeling to complete.
Endurance was the construction period during which the brain builds a new version of yourself.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches you today is the wisdom of “making time your ally.”
Modern society demands immediate results. In an era where tapping a smartphone instantly gives you information and products arrive the next day, it’s easy to forget something important.
Truly valuable things—personal growth, deep relationships, professional skills—never come overnight.
The difficulty you’re facing now might actually be precious time for growth. By walking through the thorns, you’re gaining patience, sharpening problem-solving abilities, and acquiring mental strength.
When you look back three years from now, you’ll realize that today’s struggles were creating a solid path.
What matters is not aiming for perfection. Moving forward little by little each day is enough.
Even a thorny path will surely open if you keep walking step by step. Don’t rush, don’t give up, and accumulate what you can do today.
That attitude is what will become the power to open your future.
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