National youth education centers under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) are centers that provide youth with opportunities for experiential learning, including nature experiences.

Despite accepting a diverse range of users, including school-aged children, children with disabilities, and foreign residents, the facility has not incorporated an inclusive perspective, particularly in terms of comprehension.

To address these issues, this study conducted field and pictogram comprehension surveys of 106 users (37 school-aged children, 27 children with disabilities, and 42 foreigners), analyzed the results, and developed pictograms for use at national youth education centers.

Fig. List of final proposed pictogram designs All 20 items
Note: The “guest house” was chosen from the JIS “Hotel” based on the results of the comprehension survey and coordination with other items.

This joint research was funded by a joint research project with the National Institution for Youth Development, National Aso Youth Exchange House, entitled “Enhancing Facilities and Other Facilities to Improve Educational Functions at National Youth Education Facilities: Inclusive Design of Pictograms and Signs. We want to express our deepest gratitude to all those who cooperated in the research.