Japan on Wheelchair
Japan on Wheelchair
Just came back from 3 weeks in Japan.
Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Fukui and Nagano.
Some informations that can help who is thinking to travel or going to travel to JAPAN. Not in order, I’ll write them as they come to mind.
1. Japanese people don’t usually speak English. So google translator or other apps. Google has also the possibility to translate tests with the camera (very useful).
2. There are a lot of black universal wheelchair taxi in Tokyo and other cities. They usually don’t know how to make the wheelchair platform work, but if you insist it’s a very useful transportation method fo those times you are tired of metro, trains and buses.
3. Buses, trains and metro and stations are all wheelchair friendly. Elevators always working. Very reliable. And the most beautiful clean sparkling toilets I’ve seen in my life.
4. Navitime app.. I would say mandatory.
5. I had problems with some hotels. Even if they assured me about the wheelchair accessibility it was not true, not enough space and bathrooms too little. So make sure to ask for photos, give precise informations and ask for precise answers. At the end all solved because Japanese people care very much and want to help and to solve.. but stressful anyway. Be careful and think well about it in advance.
6. Being Italian I was not used to this kindness. A silent gentleness. The western way of speaking and behaving does not help, need to be patient and respectful and faithful and confident because in the end in one way or another everything will be resolved thanks to their particular dedication
7. The weather is very changeable, be prepared
8. Wheelchair Travel Japan. It’s an agency that was recommended to me by a woman who was leaving shortly before me with her daughter in a wheelchair. I was lucky. They helped a lot. Thanks to them I went to more places and did things that I would never have been able to do on my own.
I remain open to questions, warmest wishes to all the travelers to a wonderful country.
- 2 Replies
Thank you so much! Excellent points!
Loredana, I could not agree more to everything you wrote.
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