in all ages; since antiquity
A rare, literary yojijukugo meaning 'from ancient times to the present' or 'throughout all ages'. Used in formal or poetic contexts, often to emphasize timelessness or historical continuity.
It is said that human nature has not changed throughout all ages.
この地は古往今来、多くの文化が交差する場所だった。
Since antiquity, this land has been a place where many cultures intersect.
古今東西 (all times and places) is more common and broader, covering both temporal and spatial universality. 古往今来 is rarer and focuses strictly on the temporal span from past to present.
昔から is the everyday expression for 'since long ago'. 古往今来 is a highly formal, literary alternative.
Adopted from the Classical Chinese expression 古往今来, “from antiquity to the present,” combining 古往 “times gone by” and 今来 “the present and ensuing time.”