Tour highlights

• Door-to-door service that eliminates travel worries

  Hoshinomura is difficult to reach by public transport, so we offer a direct journey from Hakata in a wheelchair-accessible vehicle (or a private vehicle). This minimizes the physical strain on you, allowing you to enjoy the scenery from the window while traveling in comfort.

• The highest quality "Shizuku Tea" and the soothing scenery

  At the Tea Culture Center in Hoshino Village, located at a high altitude, you can experience the rich flavor of gyokuro tea, known as the best in Japan, with the Shizuku Tea experience. Enjoy a blissful cup of tea in the flat building while overlooking the beautiful tea fields.

• Barrier-free access to traditional crafts

  At the Yame Traditional Crafts Museum, you can view nationally designated traditional crafts such as Buddhist altars and lanterns. Equipped with ramps and elevators, the exhibits are laid out to be wheelchair accessible, allowing visitors to experience the craftsmanship of artisans up close.

• Reliable facilities and support

  Each destination is equipped with wheelchair-accessible toilets and ramps, and guide dogs are allowed. We also guarantee wheelchair-accessible table seating in dining areas.

⚠ Notes on use

This service is an optional service for customers who have made travel arrangements, such as accommodation, through Flat Travel. We do not accept standalone use of the nursing care taxi arrangement service. Thank you for your understanding.

Itinerary

Tea Culture Museum

Located atop a hill surrounded by beautiful tea fields and nature in Hoshino Village, Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture, the Tea Culture Museum is a facility where you can experience the charm of tea with all five senses. The popular experience here is "Shizukucha," in which the finest Yame Traditional Hon Gyokuro tea is sipped through the gap between the lid and the tea bowl, without using a teapot. The changing flavor with each brew and the unique experience of finally sipping the tea leaves with vinegar and soy sauce create a special memory you'll only find here. Though located in the mountains, the facility is easily accessible. There are no steps from the dedicated parking lot to the facility entrance, making wheelchair access easy. The entire facility, apart from the tea room (raised floor), is also stair-free, making it easy to navigate in a wheelchair, especially in the exhibition hall, tea-serving hall, restaurant, and shop. The facility is equipped with spacious wheelchair-accessible restrooms (multipurpose restrooms) and ramps, and guide dogs are welcome. Sign language assistance is available with advance notice, and consideration is given to hearing-impaired guests. For lunch, you can relax at a table at the Yame Saryo restaurant inside the hotel and enjoy local dishes such as "cha soba" (green tea soba noodles) and "cha porridge."

Yame Traditional Crafts Museum

The Yame Traditional Crafts Museum is a facility showcasing the artisanal skills of the Yame region, including the nationally designated traditional crafts "Yame Fukushima Buddhist Altar" and "Yame Paper Lantern," as well as Kurume Kasuri and handmade washi paper. The museum displays the largest stone lantern in Japan, standing 6.5 meters tall, and a gorgeous golden Buddhist altar, both of which are awe-inspiring in their impressive and intricate decorative beauty. The adjacent handmade washi paper workshop and folk museum offer a deeper insight into the region's culture. The facility's entrance features a gentle slope, allowing smooth entry through automatic doors. The museum is spacious, allowing easy access for wheelchair users. Elevators are available for movement between exhibition spaces, eliminating the need to navigate between floors. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are also available, making extended stays a breeze. Additionally, many of the exhibits are placed at a height that makes them easy to see even for wheelchair users, and many of the large exhibits can be viewed directly rather than through glass cases, making it possible to appreciate the details of the crafts while sitting down. Why not look for a special piece to commemorate your trip in this warm space created by the handiwork of artisans?

Examples of available care taxis

We use medium-sized vehicles with ramps that allow wheelchair users to get on and off smoothly. Unlike lift-type vehicles, there is less shaking, making for a safer ride.

Ride capacity and accompanying person

A spacious taxi is available that can accommodate one wheelchair and 3-4 passengers.

Driver qualifications and assistance

Our drivers are qualified as "Home Helper Level 2 (currently: Nursing Care Worker Initial Training)" and "Guide Helper (Transportation Care Worker for the Totally Disabled)." They have not only driving skills, but also specialized knowledge in assisting passengers when boarding and disembarking, and ensuring safety during travel, so you can rest assured even if you are traveling alone.

Enjoy safe and barrier-free travel with Flat Travel!

Have you given up on traveling because of age or physical concerns? Flat Travel offers barrier-free travel that can be enjoyed with peace of mind by people who require care, the elderly, and their families.

We provide total support from pre-departure preparations to returning home, tailored to each customer's physical condition and requests.

• Barrier-free planning (free of charge)

  We create plans that take into account detailed barrier-free information that you won't find on general travel sites, such as steps along the route, the location of wheelchair-accessible toilets, and the shape of hotel beds and baths. We also adjust the frequency of breaks and travel times to minimize strain on your body.

• Accompanying a "travel helper" with nursing and care qualifications

  Experienced caregivers and nurses will accompany you on your trip. They will provide specialized care, such as assistance with transferring to a wheelchair, bathing and toileting, and meal support. This will reduce the burden on your family and ensure a safe and comfortable trip.

• 24-hour medical support system

  In case you become unwell or experience any problems during your trip, we have a system in place where you can consult with doctors and nurses 24 hours a day free of charge. You can rest assured knowing that we have expert backup to deal with any problems with medical equipment or make decisions in emergencies.

Disclaimer

Before applying for this tour, please be sure to confirm and agree to the following:

1. Tour contract type (scope of arrangements)

This tour package only includes accommodation and transportation between accommodations (transportation by care taxi, etc.). Other local sightseeing tours, activities, meals, and other services are all optional (separate contract, separate fee).

2. Arranging and changing accommodation and vehicle reservations

Accommodation facilities and nursing care taxis will be arranged based on availability at the time of application. Availability is constantly changing, so if the requested accommodation is fully booked or full, we may be unable to accommodate your request and may ask you to change to a facility or vehicle of an equivalent class, or we may be unable to arrange the accommodation at all. Please note that the nursing care taxi we arrange may not necessarily be the same vehicle or model as the one in the reference photo.

3. Scope of work and skills of care taxis

The primary purpose of the nursing care taxis we arrange is to "transport customers safely."

• Services included:

  General assistance with getting on and off the vehicle, and safe operation

• Services not included:

  Physical care other than boarding and disembarking (eating, toileting, etc.), medical care, detailed local tourist guide

  Please note that while some nursing care taxis may be able to provide English support or simple guides, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to arrange (assign) a vehicle and driver that can accommodate these needs, depending on the reservation situation, etc.

• Responsibility for illness and trouble during the trip

  We offer travel insurance and 24-hour medical consultation support in case you become ill or experience any other unforeseen circumstances during your trip.

  However, providing this support does not mean that we will bear any legal responsibility for such situations. All responsibility for illness, injury, accidents, or other troubles that occur during the trip rests solely with the traveler, and we cannot be held liable for any damages. Please be sure to take care of your own health and safety before participating.

Important Notes