the past; old times; bygone days
A somewhat literary noun referring to former times or days gone by. Often used in reflective or historical contexts.
I looked back at old photos, reminiscing about the past.
This town retains almost no traces of its former days.
Compound of 往 (going, past) and 時 (time). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination naturally conveys 'times gone by'.