(てんじ)ブロック

てんじぶろっく
noun
tactile paving; Braille block
building
1. tactile paving; Braille block; textured ground surface indicator
Yellow raised blocks installed on sidewalks, train platforms, and public spaces to guide visually impaired people. Invented in Japan in 1965 and now used worldwide.
Please do not place luggage on the tactile paving.
Tactile blocks are installed on the station platform.
Tactile blocks were created so that visually impaired people can walk safely.

Cultural note

Invented by Seiichi Miyake in Okayama, Japan in 1965. The yellow color was chosen for high visibility. There are two types: dots (点状(てんじょう)) for warnings (such as platform edges) and lines (線状(せんじょう)) for directional guidance. In Japan, it is considered poor manners to stand on or block tactile paving.

Common collocations