My wife and I want to start planning our first trip to Japan, likely for fall 2025. We want to focus on Tokyo and Kyoto, ideally a week in each with a few day trips.
She’s a manual wheelchair user- walking to a table or going up a few steps with a handrail is fine, but she can’t stand for too long or walk across a big parking lot. If there’s a step, she can stand up so I can lift her chair over. If we’re going somewhere by car with very minimal walking she’s sometimes able to leave her chair behind, but it comes with us otherwise. This might improve a little with ongoing physical therapy by the time we go, but that’s the current situation.
It seems like Japan varies a lot in terms of accessibility and we’re interested in hearing from people who have managed with a wheelchair (especially at around this level of mobility- super glad we don’t have to deal with a much heavier chair). Any good resources you would recommend? We’ve found a few accessible tours on offer, is this something you would recommend for seeing any particular areas? Are they worth paying for or can we probably manage on our own? Are people generally pretty understanding? How much time would we have to get on trains? Any areas where a folding wheelchair shouldn’t be expected to fit?
I would also love recommendations for a ryokan with private baths that would work for us! We would love as traditional a room as possible but we both have too many tattoos to hide lol.
Thank you, super excited to start planning!
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I’ll be going to Japan on March-April, my grandpa is a quadriplegic so I’ll see if it is accessible at all and tell you when I come back if no one has answered
I think Kyoto is going to be tough, cause it’s a lot of shrines on mountains.
I’ve been to Japan twice and most recently in April 2023 with my one year old. I can tell you at the back of all the trains there is usually a handicapped sign and designated area for strollers and wheel chairs however during commuting times it’s too crowded to access. There are also elevators which can be tricky to find but there are pretty much at all the station platforms.
Trains are very regular and honestly I’ve always managed on my own since everything is accessible and google maps is excellent for navigating.
Just give yourself more time to travel, and when getting off the train, let people go first and look for the elevator signs. Might be harder in the larger stations.
> Are people generally pretty understanding? How much time would we have to get on trains?
I can’t answer most of your questions, but trains will be the easiest part of your trip probably. The staff will make room and priority for you to get on, then place a ramp between the platform and train. They will also ask you where you intend to get off so they can call ahead. The staff at the destination station will be ready outside the train car with the ramp for you to get off. Getting to and from the platform will be quite a bit more time consuming though, since generally there are only one or two elevators per platform and tons of stairs/escalators.
I just had a Facebook page I follow post about [accessible-japan.com](https://www.accessible-japan.com/?fbclid=IwAR2ZEqwNfYBau4Mf4nF57_3VFtTsIx-vd6m4NFCgAnYfF1c2mGWdpPcX8BA) recently. Perhaps this can be of use.
I can only comment on train stations. I’ve seen many people travelling alone with wheelchair. There’s a car with reserved wheelchair spot and station attendant will bring a small plank to enter and exit the train. All the stations so far are wheelchair accessible, there are some station exits that put warning they don’t accomodate wheelchair but I only see it once or twice, you can just choose another exit.
You may want to watch this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xycecbwpIzE
definitely give yourself lots of time to travel. elevators can be hard to find sometimes, especially in large stations, and also the elevator wait can be LONG for some reason
Trains will be probably the easiest part, there’s attendants who can lay down a ramp at your entry/exit station for you and elevators to get in/out of the station. In other parts of life though, it seems to me Japan is lagging a bit behind in terms of accessibility infrastructure. I haven’t seen a wheelchair ramp anywhere else or the metal plunger buttons to open doors, handicap stalls in restrooms are quite rare, etc.
Not gonna lie. I would say it is not accessible at all. My whole month there traveling across the whole country, I saw one person in a wheel chair who was working in her own crepe shop that was specifically built for her.
There are large amount of steps, very small elevators, and small spaces in general. Many restaurants have small staircases leading to them. Stores have multiple stories and no elevators. I don’t even remember seeing many ramps either.
So unfortunately no it’s not accessible, but this was from the perception of someone who is not in a wheelchair. So it is possible there are areas I didn’t notice because I wasn’t looking very hard.
There’s A LOT of tactile pavement in Japan, especially at train stations and crosswalks. My luggage was constantly tipping to the side and the wheels were getting stuck so often I was worried they would break right off. It was really tough on my arms after awhile so it would probably be best if you push her over those areas so she’s not getting stuck. Wheelchair wheels are better than luggage wheels (and not the exact size to get stuck in those grooves 😅) but I thought I would inform you about that just in case!
One thing notable about Japan’s rail system is that almost every train has level boarding. On a few of the older ones that you might find in more rural areas there might be one step up, but the new ones, especially in urban areas, are very good for accessibility. Getting to the platform might be a bit more difficult.
I don’t have experience with a wheel chair but when planning a trip for my family, I originally planned to bring a stroller and I came across a traveller who shares her experience using a manual wheelchair while travelling Japan with her spouse: [https://japantravelplanning.com/accessibility-in-japan-three-week-itinerary/](https://japantravelplanning.com/accessibility-in-japan-three-week-itinerary/).
Even though we didn’t end up bringing a stroller, we ended up on her suggested routes by chance in Kyoto. For example at Kiyomizu-dera, the wheelchair accessible path is on the left side of the area. We ended up walking down the path by chance and there was no one there. To get to the temple, we took a bus from Kyoto station to Kiyomizu-Gojo bus stop and walked on a flat sidewalk the whole way. Though if you stay in Kyoto, a taxi can go right up to the main entrance where the accessible paved path is also located. Also, going to Fushimi Inari we didn’t want to walk the full path with a baby and also by chance found a back route with a flat path that led us to a sort of half way point that let us take pictures with not many people around.
Trains seem accommodating, but I’d say overall, it would be quite difficult.
I just got back with my mom who can walk on and off trains and up a few stairs.
We didn’t have any trouble with getting her on the trains. Just takes a ton of time because you have to find the elevator and wait but otherwise it was easy. People are nice and we had many locals ask us if we needed help or directions to the elevator.
Restaurants could be tricky bc I can’t imagine them being easy to get in and out of with a wheelchair. Thankfully my mom can walk from the front door to the tables but it’s all pretty tight spaces.
I will say Kyoto streets were a little rough in the cobblestone/small or no sidewalks kinda way but we made it. Kyoto Imperial Palace even had an electric wheelchair they traded us when we got there.
I was super worried about Tokyo because of the higher volume of people but it wasn’t a problem on sidewalks.
I did avoid the subways in Tokyo based on my previous trip without a wheelchair. I remember it being super crowded and having to squeeze on there so we opted for a taxi instead but it would have probably been ok.
The streets all have lines for vision impaired people. I tried to stick to that area and everyone moved for us. If you follow those yellow lines (yellow brick road) it can lead you to areas that have more space for wheelchairs inside subways too.
Anything else I can help you with let me know.
Just jumping into the translation elevator help, if you can, research the train stations before hand to find where they are AND where they go on street level.
There is a station near where I live that has an elevator but it only goes to the north side. So if you want to go to the south side, be prepared to walk all the way around the station (15 minutes) to get there.
Just left Kyoto and it’s great BUT like someone else said it’s very much an uphill walk if you want to somewhere like Arashiyama and do the monkey park and the shrines and things like that. To be blunt, you’re not going to be able to do the monkey park together. It’s 1km and it’s all uphill and it’s not a nice smooth path you could use a wheelchair on. You’d have mixed results doing the other things in the area. Kyoto itself in the inner city isn’t so bad but you will need extra time to find which subway exits/entrances have elevators. My right knee isn’t the greatest because I’m pretty overweight and I gave up and did the stairs and it wasn’t fun but it was doable. In your case you’ll just need to really look at the maps of the stations and keep track off things like that.
That being said, Tokyo itself is pretty accessible BUT you’ll need to really budget for travel time. And avoid rush hour. The commute rush sucks in general but the actual availability of trains, elevators and paths is pretty good otherwise. A lot of places can be multiple story which is going to give you mixed results depending on if they have a elevator inside and not all will. But you could easily still do the zoo, the science/nature museum, Tokyo tower and things like that.
Hi been to Japan last year and we’ve came across some tourist who’s riding a wheelchair, they seem fine while traveling. Their transportation system is very PWD friendly.
Not sure with some of the tourist attractions like fushimi inari and kiyumezu dera, the places were mostly inclined and structured with a lot stairs.
We have a stroller we use for our kid that my wife refuses to fold and carry unless forced to. Not really equivalent to your needs, but here’s the best of our knowledge.
Tokyo isn’t bad. There is usually an elevator from ground floor. However, this can be difficult to find depending on the train line. I’ve spent up to 20 minutes sometimes trying to find said elevator down. Don’t expect to be able to use the exit listed on google maps. I suggest using the local metro apps to find elevator accesses. Usually if you’re already on said train, transfer between train lines is not a problem. Add a few minutes here and there. Trains come often enough that missing one isn’t a huge deal.
Kyoto is a different story, it’s an old city. Lots of shrines. Accessibility wasn’t built in mind during that time. Hard to get around once you are at said attraction. Would not recommend unless it’s a must on your list.
Honestly? Will be pretty hard.
Tokyo, overall no problem. Other places overall I would say is more of a challenge. Many times because of sheer amount of people.
And before someone says “meeeh Tokyo has more people”
Yes, Tokyo has an insane amount of people but that city just keeps expanding. It’s less noticeable/crowded in a place like that compared to Kyoto for example. Kyoto with a wheelchair I would honestly say is a no go. Overcrowded as balls.
But that’s just me and my lazy ass. You know more about your wife and what she can manage.
I’ve been to Tokyo and Osaka on 3 trips now.
Anything “quant” is going to be a real challenge.
My partner and myself constantly discuss how difficult it would be for anyone with a mobility issue.
We’ve seen our fair share of wheelchair users, and “oofda” is it a challenge for them.
I’m a wheelchair user and I’ve been to Japan twice already. The trains are the most accessible part of Japan and I can confidently navigate it. When you enter the station, go to the station staff at the ticket counter and ask for a slope and tell them your destination station (station you want to get off at). They will tell you to wait off to the side, so that they can coordinate with the destination station staff. Once that’s done, a staff member will guide you to your train and put down a slope/ramp for you to get into. Once you arrive at the station, there will be a staff member waiting with a slope and lead to you to the exit. You don’t have to stress about finding elevators at stations. If you need to transfer trains, then staff members will guide you to each train. Please do ask for assistance. It is very difficult to navigate very large stations by yourself like in Shibuya or Shinjuku. For busses, the bus driver will put down the ramp when you enter and exit. Intercity busses aren’t accessible at all.
For restaurants, I find that chain restaurants and restaurants in malls and business offices tend to be more accessible. It’s often bigger and has more space to navigate with no steps. I feel like it’s hit or miss for restaurant accessibility. Sometimes there’s one step or it’s on the second or basement with stairs. It’s nice to research more local restaurants if it’s accessible by using google map and looking at photos or satellite view.
When you book a hotel, make sure to ask if hotels have universal or barrier-free rooms or research specifically for it. Kieo Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku has several of them. That’s the last one I stayed at and it works. If you want to use a travel agent, use Ohayo Travel Corporation, they helped me find universal hotels and facilitated renting medical equipment like the hoist. You may have the option of renting a electric wheelchair if that’s in your budget. That might make it easier.
It will be very difficult. Both cities have steep topography and nearly all train stations have a tonne of stairs, same as accommodation. Also pretty limited lift access from what I saw.