Focusing on "How can we make it possible?" rather than "reasons why we can't."

On March 28, 29, and 30, in conjunction with the "Three Days to Think About a Symbiotic Society with People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired," Musashisakai Driving School Co., Ltd. released a special brand website to support "challenges" through what a driving school can do, regardless of the presence of disabilities.

https://musasisakai-ds.co.jp/brandlp65/

Project Background: The existence of a friend and a wish for the future The catalyst for this project was Taylor, a friend of the son of our Representative Director, Aki Takahashi, who is totally blind. There was a strong desire to "create a future where children who are blind, like Taylor, can one day drive of their own volition." We also wanted to address the heartfelt anxiety felt by Taylor's parents: "How long will we be able to continue driving this child around?"

This is not limited to children. We believe there must be things a driving school can do to support many people in experiencing the joy of driving. With a deep love and commitment to automobiles, we are taking on challenges that only we can.

Our Approach: Thinking about "how we can do it" instead of "we can't" Generally, when people hear "visual impairment," they might tend to imagine "not being able to see anything at all." However, visual impairment varies from person to person; it includes not only those who are totally blind (cannot see at all or only have light perception) but also those with low vision (low visual acuity or narrow field of vision). In this project, participants with various characteristics took part, including those who are totally blind, those with low vision, and those with some vision in their right eye and only hand-motion perception (the ability to recognize movement or direction when a hand is waved in front of the eyes) in their left eye.

In the driving experience, we began with preparations to ensure a sense of security. Before getting into the actual vehicle, we provided time for "mental mapping," where participants traced the shape of the course with their fingertips to organize the turns and sense of distance in their minds. We also used a simulator to help them grasp the feel of the accelerator and brake, and to understand how the car reacts to how much the steering wheel is turned, allowing them to get a sense of distance through their senses.

In the actual vehicle, we also prioritized dialogue and guidance. While driving, we were thorough in giving specific instructions such as "turn to the 3 o'clock position" and "slowly apply the brake from here." By engaging in repeated dialogue and creating an atmosphere where everyone could feel secure in taking on the challenge, we realized an experience where each individual could enjoy driving.

"It has been my dream to drive by myself since I was in elementary school," "I want to drive with my loved ones in the passenger seat." Fulfilling these wishes held in their hearts, one by one, together. Through this driving experience project, we sincerely hope to become a force that expands opportunities for free challenges for people with visual impairments and those who support them daily.

Why a driving school does this: Our mission as a "job that creates lifelong memories." The vision held by Musashisakai Driving School is not merely to support license acquisition, but to be a "job that creates lifelong memories." The origin of this vision dates back 16 years to 2009. It came from words heard by Takahashi, who had just become president, at a venue for elderly driver training: "Fifty years ago, when I got my license here, it had a scary impression... but it has become a good driving school now." Memories from 50 years ago remain so vivid in people. If so, this place should not just be a facility, but a place that creates important "memories" of life. That is what we became convinced of.

We do not believe that a driving school is just a place to get a license. We believe that a driver's license is something that takes a person's life much further. Aiming for a society where everyone can challenge themselves in their own way, regardless of age, nationality, or physical condition, we will continue to develop various projects sequentially.

<Video Planning and Production> Chiyoda Raft <Staff> Producers: Takashi Komuro, Junya Kobayashi, Tetsuya Marumoto Director: Irina Gvoboglo Copywriter: Junko Koyama Camera: Junji Aoki, Nobuaki Inomata VE: Yuji Takai Sound Effects: Akio Hayashi Assistant Directors: Naoko Tokunaga, Tamano Komine

<Brand Site Production> Paradox / ant <Staff> Planning/Web Direction: Akiho Sakai Art Direction/Design: Takanori Yamada Design: Kanazuki Sato Coding: Mikisuke Tamaki

[About Musashisakai Driving School] Established in 1960, we are a community-based driving school celebrating our 65th anniversary. With approximately 200 employees and about 9,400 users annually*, we have achieved the No. 1 number of enrollees in Tokyo for five consecutive years. We will continue to take on challenges as a "driving school that goes beyond the framework of a driving school." *As of December 2025

Awards: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry "50 Selected Omotenashi Management Companies," "300 Energetic Small and Medium Enterprises/Small Businesses," The Society for Management that Values People "9th Japan's Most Important Company Award," Funai Foundation "Great Company Award 2020," etc.

[Various SNS] Official Website: https://musasisakai-ds.co.jp/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyo_shajin/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shajin_tokyo