点字ブロック発祥の地

During New Year's holidays, clean the monument with your friends only ➰ The junior high school students at all times clean it, and it is very beautifully maintained ?

I learned about existence by reading Takehiko Masahiko's “Blind Teacher's Life Class”. I think it is one of the birthplaces that can be proud of all over the world.

Invented and invented by Mr. Seiichi Miyake, it was laid in the world for the first time in this place of National Highway No. 2 (present: National Route 250) close to the Okayama prefecture Okayama blind school on March 18, 1967. (230 in total)

It is one of the limited in the world in Okayama. The material is plain, but if you know the history of braille blocks, you will notice something interesting. There are now braille blocks all over the world, but I would like to pay tribute to the dissemination activities and contributions of this inventor.

I will write down the letters on the stone monument and my English translation. I will write down the letters on the stone monument and my English translation. ■ On the stone monument on the right "Birthplace of Braille blocks" Be the eye of hope not to fear the darkness From here to the world, From here to the future " And the actual items are on display. "Braille block at that time" ■ On the stone monument on the left In 1961 (Showa 36), Seiichi Miyake, a self-employed person in Okayama City, one day when he noticed a visually impaired person with a white cane crossing the road at an intersection, he was sideways. I encountered a dangerous scene in which the car ran away vigorously. Since then, the issue of "safe walking for the visually impaired" has come to occupy my mind. At that time, the social welfare corporation Japan Lighthouse (a national organization that supports the independence of the visually impaired), triggered by the encounter with President Hideyuki Iwahashi, "independence as a human being" and "a system that enables independent safe walking" for that purpose Has solidified its intention to expand to all over Japan. The name was named "Braille block", and while listening to the opinions of local users, protrusions were arranged on the surface of the concrete block, and a wide variety of trials were repeated in terms of shape, arrangement, number, and dimensions. On March 18, 1967 (Showa 42), 230 blocks were laid on the pedestrian crossing of the former National Highway No. 2 (current location), which was used by students of Okayama Prefectural Okayama Blind School when going to and from school, and the construction was completed. The opening ceremony was held. It was the first in Japan and the first in the world to commemorate. In the same year, the newly born Braille block was introduced to experts from all over the world by Mr. Iwahashi, who attended the executive committee of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind, and received many words of praise. However, at that time, in Japan, which was in the middle of a period of high economic miracle and the soil for socially supporting persons with disabilities was immature, its dissemination activities were extremely difficult. In 1970 (Showa 45), the former Japanese National Railways laid the first Braille block on the platform at Abikocho Station in Osaka Prefecture, and the lights of hope began to appear. In the same year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government decided to carry out maintenance centered on the laying of Braille blocks around Takadanobaba Station, and it will spread to local cities in a chain reaction. The oil crisis of 1973 (Showa 48) put a brake on high economic growth at once, and the shift in values ​​toward welfare-type low economic growth became the god of salvation. In 2001 (Heisei 13), JIS conversion of Braille blocks will be realized. The history from birth to completion overlapped with the transitional period of Japanese welfare philosophy, and it was a feat that took 34 years. In 1961, Seiichi Miyake, a self-employed person in Okayama City, said that one day, a visually impaired person with a white cane at an intersection was crossing the road and the car nearly scraped against him. Since then, the issue of "safe walking for the visually impaired" has come to occupy my mind. After meeting with Hideyuki Iwahashi, the chairman of the social welfare corporation Japan Lighthouse (a national organization that supports the independence of the visually impaired) at the time, he said, "The visually impaired should become independent as a human being." And, for that purpose, he decided to develop a "system that enables independent safe walking" all over Japan. He named the system "Braille block". While listening to the opinions of local users, he repeated a wide variety of prototypes regarding the shape, arrangement, number, and dimensions of protrusions attached to the surface of concrete blocks. On March 18, 1967, 230 blocks were laid on the pedestrian crossing of the former National Highway No. 2 (current location), which was used by students of Okayama Prefectural Okayama Blind School when going to and from school. It was the first event in Japan and, of course, the first in the world. In the same year, the newly born Braille block was introduced to experts from all over the world by Mr. Iwahashi, who attended the executive committee of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind, and received many words of praise. However, at that time, Japan was in the midst of a period of high economic growth, and it was extremely difficult to spread Braille blocks because the soil for socially supporting people with disabilities was immature. In 1970, the Japanese National Railways laid a Braille block, which was the first installation on the platform, at Abikocho Station in Osaka Prefecture, which marked a turning point. In the same year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government decided to carry out maintenance centered on the laying of Braille blocks around Takadanobaba Station. With that as an opportunity, it was decided to spread in a chain to local cities. The oil crisis of 1973 put a brake on high economic growth at once, and values ​​began to change to welfare-type low economic growth. In 2001, the JIS standard for Braille blocks was established. The history from birth to completion overlapped with the transitional period of Japanese welfare philosophy, and it was a feat that took 34 years.

The other day, when I just watched it on a TV program and remembered it, I happened to find a place where I stopped waiting for a traffic light while cycling. I am grateful and impressed that I threw my fortune and made an effort to popularize Braille blocks.

One corner of the green area of ​​Harajima intersection in Okayama City where the Braille block was first installed. A granite monument (about 2 meters high) marked as "the birthplace of Braille blocks" and a monument (about 1 meter wide and about 60 cm high) on which "the history of completion of Braille blocks" is written, and on the sidewalk Five points including stone board which we described as "braille block world first laying place" are installed. It is a pity that there are many unknown people in the local area of ​​Okayama, although it is the birthplace. Also, although not installed at this place. Vending machines that support the installation and maintenance of braille blocks have also been seen recently. If you find out where, I think I want you to think about a little braille block.

It was invented by the Japanese Miyake Seiichi in 1965. It was used near the School for the Blind in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan on March 18, 1967. It was then promoted to the world! It is very convenient to ride a bicycle in the city. An invention that benefits mankind! ! !