Itoigawa City hosts inaugural Eye Festa for the visually impaired

The inaugural ‘Eye Festa’ for the visually impaired was held on the 20th at Beach Hall Magata in Itoigawa City. Organized by the Niigata Prefecture Association for the Welfare of the Visually Impaired and co-hosted by the Itoigawa Association for the Visually Impaired ‘Sazanaka-no-kai’, the event served as a platform for exchange and community building.

Activities included exhibitions and hands-on experiences with various welfare devices, white cane training, information booths from related organizations, and the sale of welfare products. A lecture titled ‘The Story of Itoigawa’s Earth’ by Suzuka Koriyama, a curator from the Fossa Magna Museum, also drew significant interest.

Hiromi Kimura, chairperson of the Niigata Prefecture Association for the Welfare of the Visually Impaired, stated that the event aims to provide a space for networking, friendship, and information exchange among those affected by visual impairment, their supporters, and those seeking connection, with the goal of fostering cooperation to enrich lives.