備えよ常に sonae yo tsune ni Be Prepared

備えよ常に (sonae yo tsune ni): be prepared, the Scout motto in the form the Scout Association of Japan uses.

備えよ常に is a short order in two words. 備えよ is the imperative of 備える, to make ready, and 常に is always, so the motto reads: make ready, always. Whether you hang it for your own years as a Scout or give it to a Scout you are proud of is yours.

The phrase is the Japanese Scouts' motto, their rendering of Baden-Powell's Be prepared of 1908, and it is in print as the Boy Scouts' motto by 1924, in the older spelling 備へよ常に, with the imperative first.

We want you to be as happy with the meaning as you are with Master Takase's art. To learn more, visit Philology of 備えよ常に.

Your scroll is brushed when you order it and completed within 1 to 3 business days. It ships by USPS Priority Mail from Master Takase's studio in Washington State, boxed and ready to hang, with a printed page giving the art's English, romaji and Japanese.

Sending it as a gift? Tell us when you order and we will include your message.

Shipping is calculated at checkout from your address; within the United States it is $13 to $22. We ship worldwide, and any import charges for your country are shown at checkout before you pay.

Every order is covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee. If your scroll arrives damaged, or we made an error, we replace it or refund you in full, including shipping. Refund policy

Master Japanese Calligrapher Eri Takase brushes your scroll by hand when you order it. Each scroll bears her red seal, 英利, and her signature.

The scrolls are 12 1/4" W × 43" H (31 × 109 cm) with real silk borders and Japanese paper that are layered so the scroll hangs straight and will not warp over time. The scrolls themselves are made by Sankō (株式会社三幸) in Gifu prefecture, which has been making high quality scrolls since 1947, and we have worked with Sankō for over two decades.

Eri Takase was born and raised in Osaka, Japan, and holds the rank of Shihan, the highest rank in Japanese calligraphy, from the Bokuteki-kai and the Bunka-shodo. About Master Takase