As March begins, the sun is rising a little earlier each day.
Notices about outdoor events are also gradually becoming more frequent.
Everyone, regardless of whether they have a disability, wants to “go out” and “enjoy events.” But for people with severe disabilities, such as children who require medical care, and their families, there are many things that need to be prepared in advance, and the reality is that it is often difficult to make these outings happen.
Children requiring medical care are children who, against the backdrop of medical advances, have spent a long time in a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) or similar facility and continue to use ventilators, feeding tubes, or other equipment, requiring daily medical care such as suctioning and tube feeding.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “Support Measures for Children Requiring Medical Care and Their Families,” “About Children Requiring Medical Care”
That is why the welfare platform “Kurashiki Shien LABO,” formed by volunteers working in Kurashiki’s welfare sector who came together across workplaces, holds a spring festival every year where people with and without disabilities can enjoy themselves together.
We introduce the “Spring Festival,” which began in 2024 and will be held for the third time this year (2026), where people who need support to connect with society, such as medical care and sign language interpretation, can participate without hesitation.
The information provided was current when this article was published in March 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the “Spring Festival where people with and without disabilities can enjoy themselves together”?
The “Spring Festival where people with and without disabilities can enjoy themselves together” (hereafter, the “Spring Festival”) is an event hosted by Kurashiki Shien LABO, which has held a variety of events around Kurashiki to bridge the everyday “divide between welfare and society.”
In 2026, it will be held on Sunday, April 26, with the entire Aibi Red Brick Hall inside Kurashiki Ivy Square reserved for the event.
- Play (West Building)
A game area where children can get absorbed in play. - Music (East Building)
A music hall filled with authentic Latin jazz and the voices of local musicians. - Experiences and Shopping (North Building)
A variety of workshops and a market, with an eat-in area. - Relaxation (Courtyard)
A plaza where you can chat at leisure while enjoying food such as freshly fried karaage and curry.
As last year, rehearsals before the live performances will be open to the public, and the floral arrangement workshop is set to feature decorations incorporating denim, a Kurashiki specialty.
There is a step at the entrance to Aibi Red Brick Hall, but assistance volunteers will be on hand, so people planning to visit in wheelchairs or strollers can participate with peace of mind.
Everyone is welcome, regardless of disability status—including fans of floral artist Nose Seiko, Latin jazz lovers, and people without disabilities who want to enjoy their favorite food.
A venue layout designed to make it easy for everyone to participate, with a “safe space” for children requiring medical care
The first festival, held in 2024 under the theme “A festival adorned with flowers and music,” featured Latin music and a floral arrangement workshop. At the second festival, held in 2025, more than 2,500 visitors, with and without disabilities, gathered at the venue and enjoyed not only music and floral arrangement workshops, but also games and “surprise rock-paper-scissors.”
Some members of Kurashiki Shien LABO work regularly with children requiring medical care, and some users of Parent Support Step, which serves as the Spring Festival’s secretariat, are parents raising children who require medical care. As a result, more and more visitors like them have been attending the festival.
In response, the venue layout has been changed so that programs previously held on the second floor can now take place on the first floor.
A “safe space” will also be set up so that children requiring medical care and their families can enjoy the event. The festival is set to become an even more inclusive event, where people from all backgrounds can share the same experiences in the same place.
Interview with the Spring Festival organizers
We spoke with Ando Kiyoko of the certified NPO Parent Support Step, which serves as the Spring Festival’s secretariat, about her hopes for the third Spring Festival.
The Spring Festival is entering its third year. Do you think it is becoming an annual spring event in Kurashiki?
Ando (titles omitted)
The first year was a learning experience, but in the second year, it became an event where we could see more than 2,500 visitors, with and without disabilities, enjoying themselves together.
I think this third festival will be an important opportunity to create a framework that can serve as the foundation for continuing the Spring Festival in the future.
What kinds of people attended last year?
Ando
Professional ikebana artists and musicians perform, so fans of the performers came along simply to see them. Many of these visitors did not have disabilities.
The number of people with disabilities participating is also increasing year by year.
Step, which serves as the secretariat, is an organization for parents raising children with disabilities or children with developmental concerns. Our staff also have experience raising children like these, so some people come because they feel comfortable attending an event organized by us.
We have also seen an increase in participation by people with severe disabilities who require medical care.
Going out is not easy for people who require medical care and their families. They need to make careful preparations before they can finally go out, including managing their health, coordinating schedules for home-visit care and welfare services, arranging transportation, and figuring out how to provide medical care and manage toileting on the day.
People like us, who can move around freely of our own accord, can easily go out for a meal whenever we have a little time, even on weekdays. But the reality is that people who require medical care and their families live day to day without the time or energy to think about going out for leisure.
Because this is an event hosted by Kurashiki Shien LABO, and some people are making the difficult decision to consider going out specifically for it, we want to make sure the environment is ready, including medical care, and have volunteers with specialist knowledge on hand.
What would you recommend people enjoy on the day?
Ando
It will be a day when you can enjoy a variety of offerings, including art, games, music, and food.
The entire event will take place on the first floor, so visitors using wheelchairs or strollers can choose and take part in any of the programs they want.
When people have disabilities, the programs they can participate in at events are often limited, so some may be used to “choosing from among the things they can do.” At the Spring Festival, however, we are preparing the environment so that, as far as possible, everyone can participate in every program.
People with severe disabilities who can only go out for leisure a few times a year also come to the Spring Festival. That is why we want them to enjoy the event, including the satisfaction of choosing for themselves what they want to do during this precious time.
It is perfectly fine to get excited, call out, or dance during the live music performances.
Enjoy the Spring Festival in whatever way suits you.
What kind of event would you like the Spring Festival to become in the future?
Ando
I hope it will become commonplace to “take part in a program that interests you at the annual Spring Festival, then glance to the side and see someone signing, or someone nearby in a wheelchair or stroller.”
In fact, with each passing year, more people with severe disabilities are participating, and the number of volunteers is also growing.
Of course, we’re delighted when people with disabilities enjoy themselves. We want to make this an annual spring event in Kurashiki that people without disabilities also enjoy, and that they’ll come back to the following year with friends and family.
Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
Ando
This year, we’ll have more space to use than last year, so you should be able to spend the day at your leisure.
Please come to Kurashiki Ivy Square on a warm, pleasant spring day and enjoy the Spring Festival.
From the Writer
The event is at the end of April. There is a reason, though, why we announce the Spring Festival in March.
It is because we want people with disabilities to be able to participate.
People without disabilities can check the weather that day and decide on a holiday plan, such as “It’s sunny, so let’s go to the park.” But people with disabilities need to make many preparations in advance, such as arranging transportation and securing a helper.
This is an event that people with and without disabilities can look forward to and enjoy together.
3rd Spring Festival where people with and without disabilities can enjoy themselves together Information
| Name | 3rd Spring Festival where people with and without disabilities can enjoy themselves together |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, April 26, 2026 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
| Location | 7-2 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free admission |
| Website | Spring Festival crowdfunding page |
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