Did You Know Braille Blocks Were Invented In Japan?

Maybe you have landed on this page because, like many of my friends visiting Japan, you are wondering, “What are these yellow blocks on the sides of Japanese roads?” Or maybe you are wondering who invented them. These yellow blocks are made to help people with visual impairments to navigate the public space. They are Braille blocks, a Japanese invention called tenji blocks in Japanese, “tenji” being the Japanese word for Braille writing.

How Do Braille Blocks Work?

First, Some Context

In the 17th century, acupuncturist Sugiyama Waichi, who was blind, popularized anma, a term that refers both to a massage technique and its practitioners. Sugiyama also established 45 medical schools for the blind that taught massage techniques. People with visual impairments quickly became associated with the profession, which allowed them to be independent financially. During the Tokugawa period (1603–1867), sighted people were prohibited from becoming anma.

Nowadays, a lot of visually impaired people are still working using the skills and knowledge of massage, acupuncture, and moxibustion. To access these jobs, they go to specialist schools for a period of three years.