In Kurashiki City, since 1985, a sightseeing train called Himawari-go has been operating every year, allowing people with disabilities, medical and welfare professionals, and volunteers to enjoy a day trip on a chartered train. (There have been years when it was canceled due to the impact of the new influenza and the spread of the novel coronavirus.)
In 2025, it is scheduled to depart from JR Kurashiki Station on May 25 (Sunday) and operate between Hiroshima Prefecture's Onomichi Station. On that day, one to three volunteers will accompany each participant with a disability to travel together.
Currently, we are recruiting participants with disabilities and volunteers for the Kurashiki Himawari-go Onomichi trip.
The application deadlines are as follows:
・Participants with disabilities: April 15 (Tuesday)
・Volunteers: April 30 (Wednesday)
- What preparations are being made for the day?
- What is the purpose and activities of Himawari-go?
- How to apply?
We will introduce the situation of the preliminary survey and an interview with the Himawari-go secretariat.
What is the "Kurashiki Himawari-go Onomichi Trip"?
Himawari-go is a chartered train exclusively for people with disabilities that started in Tokyo in 1982.
At that time, barrier-free access to trains and stations was not as widespread as it is today, and traveling by train posed many difficulties for people with disabilities.
In such circumstances, the operation of "Himawari-go" began, led by people with disabilities, their families, volunteers, and labor unions, and it spread nationwide. In Kurashiki City, the first Himawari-go operated between JR Kurashiki Station and Hiroshima Station in 1985.
In 2024, the Kurashiki Himawari-go will head to Himeji Station in Hyogo Prefecture. This year marks the 38th operation, and it will head to Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture.
Information on how to apply for a ride
Please check the following image for the number of participants being recruited, the schedule, participation fees, application methods, and application deadlines for the Kurashiki Himawari-go Onomichi trip.
The participation conditions for people with disabilities are that they must reside in Kurashiki City or its vicinity and hold one of the following disability certificates.
- Physical Disability Certificate
- Child Development Certificate
- Mental Disability Health and Welfare Certificate
The volunteers being recruited are as follows.
- Assistance Volunteers
Enjoy a day of travel together with those who use wheelchairs or have visual impairments. - Setup Volunteers
Set up temporary toilets, beds, and diaper changing areas on the train. Must participate from early morning until the end. - Recreation Volunteers
Create a fun and relaxed atmosphere with recreational activities such as singing, ventriloquism, puppet shows, and kamishibai (paper theater). - Recording Volunteers
Capture the day's events in photos and create a record later.
Volunteers are welcome even if they are beginners. Children in the 4th grade and above can participate in volunteering with their parents as parent-child pairs. (Solo participation is allowed for those in junior high school and above.)
Before the ride, on May 6, 2025 (Tuesday, holiday) from 1 PM for about two hours, a volunteer training session will be held at Kurashiki Health and Welfare Plaza Room 201 for those participating in volunteering for the first time. It is recommended as you can learn practical skills for wheelchair assistance and guide help.
Interview with the Kurashiki Executive Committee that operates "Himawari-go"
We interviewed Takahiro Nishio, the president of the Kurashiki Executive Committee that operates the Kurashiki Himawari-go Onomichi trip.
What kind of initiative is the "Kurashiki Himawari-go"?
Nishio (no honorifics)
It is a chartered train journey where people with various disabilities and volunteers travel together.
In Kurashiki, the operation of Himawari-go started in 1985, and in 2025 it will be the 38th event.
Fortunately, every year the number of applicants exceeds the capacity, and participants are selected by lottery.
We feel very sorry for those who are not selected in the lottery.
The experienced executive committee members repeatedly conduct preliminary surveys on foot, and medical staff also accompany the trip, so we want families of people with disabilities to feel secure in sending their loved ones.
Additionally, the Kurashiki Himawari-go initiative has been featured in media, such as a special program by OHK Okayama Broadcasting. We actively utilize barrier-free facilities at tourist spots with volunteers, hoping to provide hints for individual travel for people with disabilities.
What types of disabilities do the participants have?
Nishio
As stated in the recruitment guidelines, anyone holding one of the following disability certificates can participate: Physical Disability Certificate, Child Development Certificate, or Mental Disability Health and Welfare Certificate.
The most common participants are those with physical disabilities who use wheelchairs. Other participants include those with visual impairments, hearing impairments, intellectual disabilities, and mental disabilities, all participating in similar proportions.
In April 2024, the Act on Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities was amended, requiring businesses to provide reasonable accommodations.
This applies to the Kurashiki Himawari-go as well.
We are preparing to assign assistance volunteers tailored to the characteristics of each disability.
In 2025, you will be going to Onomichi, right?
Nishio
It has been eight years since we visited Onomichi with the Kurashiki Himawari-go, the last time being in 2017.
The weather in Onomichi in May is pleasant, and after crossing the slope of Senkoji Temple, you can see the unique scenery of the Onomichi Strait, which is neither a river nor the sea.
I hope everyone can experience the beauty of the Onomichi Strait in person, not just through photos or screens.
Senkoji Park has steep slopes.
For such slopes, high school students from Onomichi Gakuen Onomichi High School's rugby team will volunteer to assist with wheelchair transport.
The members of the Onomichi High School rugby team also helped during the last Kurashiki Himawari-go Onomichi trip.
A characteristic of the Kurashiki Himawari-go trip is that not only volunteers accompanying from Kurashiki but also volunteers will welcome participants at the destination.
Are there any recommended spots in Onomichi?
Nishio
We able-bodied people tend to want to visit tourist spots when we travel.
However, at the end of the trip, both people with disabilities and volunteers often remember experiences of interacting with others, such as:
- The experience of traveling together by train
- Thinking about the walking route while communicating with team members
- Memories of spending a day with team members
In other words, regardless of the destination, the act of riding the Himawari-go itself is the main event of the trip.
That said, we want everyone to have various experiences every year, so the executive committee works hard to select the travel destinations.
This time, the bus departing from Senkoji Park, where we will have lunch, will stop at Onomichi City Hall.
The rooftop of Onomichi City Hall not only offers a panoramic view of the Onomichi Strait but also overlooks Senkoji Park and the observation deck.
The rooftop of Onomichi City Hall, where you can enjoy both mountains and the sea, is definitely worth a visit.
Volunteers are also being recruited in large numbers, aren't they?
Nishio
For each participant with a disability, about two volunteer assistants will be on board, along with various other roles for volunteers.
Therefore, I hope that families who are working hard in caregiving every day can feel at ease leaving their loved ones with disabilities and enjoy a relaxing holiday.
Recently, there are also paid volunteer opportunities, but since the inception of the Kurashiki Himawari-go, we have charged the same participation fee for both participants with disabilities and volunteers.
This is because volunteers participating in the Kurashiki Himawari-go can learn various things from the participants with disabilities. We consider all participants, regardless of whether they have a disability or not, to be members of a symbiotic society.
Some participants with disabilities are surprised to learn, "Do volunteers also have to pay a participation fee?!" but I want them to understand that a day spent directly interacting with people with disabilities has value.
What do you want participants to feel?
Nishio
For first-time volunteers, I want them to actually experience the "world where people with disabilities live," which they may not have known before. There are volunteer training sessions, and many long-time participants, including the executive committee members, are present, so I hope they will take a step forward as an opportunity for a new challenge.
For volunteers who continue to participate, the destination and the situation of the person they assist change each time, so they should be able to have different experiences from their previous participation.
I want families of participants with disabilities to feel at ease when sending them off.
Because I believe that when the participants go out and travel, using barrier-free facilities in public transportation and tourist spots, it contributes to universal city development.
I believe that the journey of people with disabilities itself is a significant social contribution.
We, the executive committee, will put effort into preparations to ensure that both volunteers and people with disabilities can have a day that they will think was "fun."
Please send a message to the readers
Nishio
People with disabilities live much more resiliently than we might think. Why not experience that directly?
I look forward to meeting those who want to participate in this Kurashiki Himawari-go Onomichi trip, which serves as an entrance to a truly symbiotic society, where volunteers and people with disabilities travel together and spend a fulfilling day.
Conclusion
I also participated as a volunteer with hearing disabilities in the Himawari-go No. 37 Himeji trip that was operated in 2024.
The participants, who were a bit nervous on the way there, gradually warmed up, and by the time we returned, they reluctantly parted ways at JR Kurashiki Station. Every photo was filled with the smiles of the participants.
Onomichi is a city where barrier-free toilets equipped with multifunctional facilities are located in the middle of the shopping street, and the ropeway leading to Senkoji Park has a lift for wheelchairs, so I believe that participants can join with peace of mind.
Why not spend a day filled with mountains, the Onomichi Strait, and smiles on the Kurashiki Himawari-go Onomichi trip?
Data for the Kurashiki Himawari-go Onomichi Trip
| Name | Kurashiki Himawari-go Onomichi Trip |
|---|---|
| Date | May 25, 2025 (Sunday) From around 8:00 AM to around 6:00 PM |
| Location | Between Kurashiki and Onomichi |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | Adults 3,000 yen, Elementary, Middle, High, and University Students 2,000 yen (Includes JR fare, facility entrance fee, lunch bento, and insurance fee) |
| Website | Executive Committee for Running the Kurashiki Himawari-go |
