Student-run barrier experience cafes： “One visit will change how you see the world.”

When you go to a restaurant to eat, you open the door, the waiter guides you to your table, and then you sit down and receive a menu. This may seem commonplace, but how many us are aware of the distance to the table, any steps in between, and the loudness of the waiter's voice? By becoming aware of unconscious actions, we can realize for the first time that what we consider "normal" may not be normal for someone else.
Feel is a Ritsumeikan University student organization whose primary activity is running cafes where you can experience and raise your awareness of barriers like these. We interviewed the head of Feel, Jua Fujieda, who is a fourth-year student in the College of Business Administration, about the course of events leading to the organization's establishment and its initiatives.

Photo, at right: Jua Fujieda, head of Feel

What led to the establishment of Feel?

Fujieda uses a wheelchair due to an illness she suffered in junior high school. She told us about some of the time she feels inconvenienced, especially when going to restaurants. Realizing that there must be others who have the same problem, Fujieda researched and published information on barrier-free restaurants in Kyoto when she was in her first year.
However, in doing this, she realized that while her work might help someone who needs barrier-free access in the future, it is difficult to change the mindset of the many people who do not need barrier-free access. This is when she changed tack and began looking for activities that would make the entire society aware of the importance of universal design and barrier-free access. In her third year, when she was a member of College of Business Administration Associate Professor Lim Yeongjoo’s seminar that dealt with the topics of entrepreneurship and business startups, she started a student organization called Feel. After holding several discussions with her classmates, the group came up with a plan for barrier experience cafes.

Obstacles differ depending on the society and the environment

Based on the philosophy of “creating a universal society," Feel runs barrier experience cafes at events in Kyoto and Osaka. The concept of Feel is to make people aware of inconveniences hidden in daily life by providing experiences that various minorities perceive as barriers (which are sometimes taken for granted by those affected). The approach to barriers that Feel takes is the same one used in the social model of disability.
“For example, that I can only sit in the front of a big lecture hall at university is not because I can't walk to the seats in the back, but because the hall is designed so that you can only get there by the stairs. With this issue in mind, what constitutes a hurdle changes depending on the society or the environment at hand," says Fujieda.

According to Fujieda, “The aim of Feel is for people to visit our cafes and change how they see the world. We want to raise the awareness of people who are not interested in universal design or barrier-free access.” Ultimately, the group’s goal is that these changes in awareness will be reflected in the structure of buildings and lead to actions that help those who face problems when moving about the cities where they live.

Ritsumeikan University Alumni Association Educational Fund for Future Leaders

According to Fujieda, theRitsumeikan University Alumni Association Educational Fund for Future Leaders (Support for Organizations) has helped tremendously in allowing Feel to expand its activities. The Alumni Association Educational Fund for Future Leaders is a support system funded by donations from alumni of Ritsumeikan University. Last year, they used the money received from this fund to cover the initial expenses needed to realize their idea, including the purchase of tools for the barrier experience and the equipment to serve coffee at events.

“The members of Feel also appeared in a video on the Ritsumeikan Channel that introduced the various activities of upperclassmen. In the video, I said that it is up to you to give shape to your ideas, and I urged the younger students to take action, but I am keenly aware that we were able to make our idea a reality because of the assistance we received from the Educational Fund for Future Leaders,” says Fujieda.

At an Alumni Association Educational Fund for Future Leaders debriefing session

Moving toward a society where everyone can live comfortably

At the end of last academic year, Feel held an event called Universal Festival in Ibaraki City. This year, they are taking a new step forward to reach out to all people, regardless of their interest in universal design and barrier-free access. Their goal is to operate a cafe for a few days around the end of November in a way that is more integrated into the city, and they are currently busy with preparations. 　Also, since many of the members are fourth-year students, they are holding discussions regarding the future direction of Feel after they graduate. "Our philosophy is what is important to us, and we want to keep working toward our goal, even if the means and forms change,” explains Fujieda.
Here’s hoping that the awareness gained by those who visit Feel’s barrier experience cafes will continue to inspire new changes and lead to the creation of a better society.