生甲斐 ikigai Reason For Being

生甲斐 (ikigai): a reason for being, what makes a life worth the living. Not a grand purpose necessarily, but the thing that gives one's days their meaning: the word is a noun of worth, the worth of living itself, and it asks only whether living is worth it and names what makes it so. It joins 生 (i), from 生きる (ikiru), to live, with 甲斐 (kai, here gai), worth, value.

Master Takase writes the three characters in block, semi-cursive and cursive script.

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

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