Mary,

I don’t know much about “help mark,” from what I can find it may be possible to get as a foreigner. I found this with some specific locations on where to obtain one: https://www.fukushi.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/helpmarkforcompany//multilingual/en.html

Nevertheless, I haven’t tried to get one so I can’t say for certain. I’m not sure he needs/has…

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Which store are you going to? An electric store or the supplier? As @joshgrisdale said, it is advisable to ring beforehand.

That’s the correct company, @joshgrisdale. When I talked to them last, they were not yet in Japan but hoping to be soon. Definitely worth contacting. Let me know if you don’t get a reply, and I can dig up a biz card.

@joshgrisdale 　I also have no new information. Some information show that both Gifu and Toyama Prefectural Government has their policies or targets to raise the rate of non-step buses to improve the mobility of aged residents, but not sure for Shirakawago route.　

By the way, “non-step bus” rate is 15% nationwide and it is 12% in Gifu. …

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Any update on Shirawakago?

Love to go there too, but can’t ride bus. I hope there will be non step bus in the near future.

@joshgrisdale hopefully you can tell the local tourism about our concern.