expression
it is darkest under the lamp post; you can't see what's right under your nose
Proverb meaning that one often fails to notice things close at hand, especially when searching far away.
灯台下暗しで、探していた鍵がすぐ目の前にあった。
It was a case of 'darkest under the lamp post'—the key I was looking for was right in front of me.
灯台下暗しとはよく言ったもので、地元の名所を知らなかった。
As the saying goes, 'it's darkest under the lamp post'—I didn't know about the famous spots in my own hometown.
A Japanese proverb of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a similar Chinese saying. The literal meaning is 'it is dark at the foot of a lighthouse,' metaphorically expressing that one tends to overlook things nearby.