Our family currently lives in Kanagawa Prefecture (US Military Family) and have recently been diagnosed with PoTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome).
Due to my condition, I currently travel with a rollator (walker with wheels and a seat) that collapses to conserve space on crowded trains, but I have the problem of individuals (specifically students or office workers) offering their seat in the priority area, even when I indicate I have a disability (and clearly I have a disability transportation aide with me). My work and I are thinking that maybe I should apply for the Help Mark Pass to increase the visibility of my disability and make getting into a priority seat easier.
My other option is just to be “that American” and just plop myself down on the seat of my rollator in any open space and make everyone move around me. I would rather not be “that American”
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Yep, I faced this problem when I was pregnant, especially during rush hour with “sleeping” salarymen and students.
This isn’t about a help mark, but maybe it could help your situation. There was one young lady with a disability that I’d see get on at the same stop, same time almost every day. She go straight to the priority seating and just loudly ask if she could sit down to no one in particular. Like, loud enough the whole train car could hear her. I don’t take the train anymore so I don’t remember her exact phrasing, but it was something like “誰か席を譲ってくれませんか？” (dare ka seki wo yuzutte kuremasen ka?) Someone *always* let her sit. Seriously, 100% success rate. I imagine if no one moved she could just keep loudly repeating that until someone did. So if you aren’t shy about being loud on the train, I recommend this strategy.
I just went to the welfare department of the ward office to pick it up, no application needed.
Not that people would be more willing to give you a seat because of it.
I’m not sure how it is in Kanagawa but in Tokyo you can go to any 都営 station and get the help mark no questions asked.
As someone else said there is no application. You just go to one of the train stations or hospitals that have them and ask for one. I have MS and have a help mark as I sometimes have leg issues. However, at least in Tokyo, the same salarymen you mentioned still do not usually stand for you. Since I have an invisible disability I try not to be judgmental as they may also have some issue.