What does the Local Guides program mean to me : stop being shy and help others

[Yucco]

Frankly speaking, I was too shy to tell about my personal experiences, especially about my family. Thanks to being a local guide, I could get lots of friends, and they inspire me not to be shy and to be open-minded. 

I’m going to tell you about our trip to Ise Shrine (officially Jingu) with my family 15th September 2019. Jingu is the most sacred shrine in Japan. I feel like my soul is purified there. My father also wanted to go there.

”Torii (sacred gate)" in front of Uji brigde

He had have heart surgery about 17 years ago and surgery for colon cancer 6 years ago. He's fine now and he can ride a electric bicycle. he's 75 years, his leg becomes too weak to walk long distance recently. So he started using a wheelchair when he goes to a museum etc.

We don’t have own wheelchair because he don’t use it in ordinary life. So I borrowed one from a social welfare corporation for one month free of charge.

my father and brother (funny face)

However we need to go on the gravel road when we went to shrine. It’s hard to go by manual wheelchair. I googled, and found information that we could borrow a electric wheelchair for free at Jingu. I checked reviews at Google maps just in case. I often check Google Map reviews to verify the authenticity of the information. I found some reviews mentioning about electric wheelchair. We are ready to visit Jingu!

On the day, It was holiday where we show respect for the elderly, so there were very crowded. It was noon when we got to the parking lot. And we went to have lunch. 

My father, my husband and I were walking among a lot of people

We went a restaurant that my brother’s wife had reserved. At the restaurant, we had to climb the stairs to get into the dining space. She couldn't know that there was no elevator. We’re OK, because my father could walk by himself. But if he couldn’t walk alone, we should have a trouble to climb the stairs. So I posted a review to let others know it.

The stairs that we had to climb to enter the restaurant

After lunch, we had to look for somewhere we could fill up the tires with air because my father's wheelchair was flat. We went to “Omiyageya” to fill it up, then we went to “Eshi-Miharisho (Guard watch house)” to borrow a electric wheelchair.
Finally we arrived at Jingu.

We usually go up the stairs to the ”Shogu (Main Sanctuary)”, but there are also wheelchair-friendly road at the shrine. You can download the map at the official Jingu site.

The stairs and "Torii" in front of "Shogu (Main Sanctuary)"

Because Jingu's electric wheelchair had wide tires we went on gravel comfortably. We operated the direction and speed with the lever at hand. Driving it was a bit tricky but easy. My father told that he was comfortable in wheelchair.

The electric wheelchair which has wide tires

That experience was very meaningful to me in two ways.

The first, I could notice that people in wheelchair might be struggling to trip. It was a different struggle than going to just a museum in a wheelchair. I noticed that I didn’t pay enough attention to those who have disability. I noticed that the problems about accessibility is my problem. I want to learn about it.

The second, I felt that I want to share people about this trip. I and my parents are very shy. My father was a little ashamed of going out in a wheelchair. I could tell him confidently that going out in a wheelchair is not an embarrassing thing, but a good one. I told him that it was meaningful for others to show that he could trip happily in a wheelchair. Then he allowed me to post his video to Connect.

I post it with my wish that all person in wheelchair notice that they can visit the most sacred shrine in Japan comfortably. 

"Okage Yokocho"

Around the Jingu, there is a tourist spot called “Okage Yokocho”, which reproduces the Edo period of Japan. Here you can get delicious food and Japanese souvenirs.

Thank you for reading.

[HiroyukiTakisawa]

@Yucco さん

素晴らしい記事を共有してくださってありがとうございました。ローカルガイドとしてとても大切な考えですね。また、そういった経験によって得られるものはとても大きいと思います。

これからも是非たくさんの人をマップで、そして現実で助けていきましょう。私も見習わせていただきます！

[Izumi]

@Yucco さん　ステキな家族旅行の投稿をありがとうございます。

車椅子のアクセシビリティは、実際に関わってから気づくことが本当に多いですね。その気づきをマップへ投稿することにより、多くの車椅子ユーザーの助けになるでしょう。関東から応援しています。

[ken_jp]

@Yucco さん

素敵な記事をありがとうございます。

気がつかなかった点など、Mapsやストリートビューなどを通じて

特に段差が何段ある？などの情報は欲しいそうですからね。

共有して行きたいと思いました。

[Yucco]

@HiroyukiTakisawaさん、  @Izumiさん、  @ken_jpさん

コメント、ありがとうございます！

現実で助けられる人は数に限りがあるけど、マップだときっと多くの方のお役に立てるかなと信じています。

タキサワさんから学ばせていただいたことがとても多くあります。

イズミさんのおっしゃるとおり、私も自分が関わるまでわからなかったことばかりです。今までの関心の少なさが恥ずかしい…。

これからの行動を良い方向に変えていきたいです。

ケンさんのように、自在にストリートビューに貢献できるようになれたら、もっと貢献の幅がひろがるんだろうなと憧れます。

私もストリートビューについて勉強したいので、教えていただけたら嬉しいです。