also: イバラのみち
expression, noun
thorny path; difficult road
Idiomatic expression for a life or endeavor filled with hardships and obstacles, similar to 'a bed of thorns' or 'a rocky road'.
彼は茨の道を歩んできた。
He has walked a thorny path.
芸術家の人生は
An artist's life is a thorny path.