Hello, my name is David. My brother and I are
planning on going to Japan sometime in mid spring. However, we have some added challenges because I am in a wheelchair.
Our main plan is to go to Okinawa to visit family for a few days, next we are going to Tokyo to visit the main islands.
I have read that there seems to be a lot of handicap accessible modes of transportation, that being the train and possibly rentable cars on the main islands, however does this extend to Okinawa? I would prefer to take my power chair. It is larger though it can do more. The only downside is that It weighs about 300 pounds. My other option would be to bring scooter. A lighter 3 wheeled chair that the elderly often use. It is light enough to be picked up, and is thinner than the power chair to go through tight passageways. although, The scooter has a harder time going over rough terrain, and is unable to raise me up so that I might see people at eye level, whereas the power chair can.
My main inquiry is this. Is mainland japan accessible for power chairs? Is Okinawa accessible for power chairs? And if so could I bring my power chair or would it be better to bring my scooter?
10 comments
1. 300-lbs power chair means that most of the modes of public transportation will be unavailable to you (this includes buses, trains and most of the subway lines).
2. The same goes for most of mobility scooters with an additional caveat of them being treated as cars for the purpose of bringing them to Japan.
TLDR: Rent a wheelchair in Japan.
Okinawa is already know as a place where rental car is suggested. There is only a monorail in Naha, then you would have to use bus. I think that it can already be a challenge to use bus with a regular wheelchair, so most likely impossible with a motorized machine to even fit inside of the bus. (edit : just was picture of powerchair in a bus, but of course it need to be a bus with a ramp)
As for car, of course it’s easy to rent a car, but I have no idea how easy you can get a car with equipment to lift a heavy power chair or scooter, I found a link, but did not check more on how widely it’s available. If you have family in Japan, you might just want to ask them directly if there is available rental car for that.
I do not know of the limitation, but from what I understand, people at the train station can help you to get in and out of the train, using a platform to cover the gap, for that you have to ask (her is a video about it [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ff4KDOs2Nk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ff4KDOs2Nk)). Many stations are ok to manage by yourself, but some have [pretty infamous gap](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200709/p2a/00m/0na/012000c) between the train and the platform. Most station have elevator, but they might require to use a specific entrance, so not always the most convenient.
About rough terrain, what do you have in mind ? Slopes or dirt path with bigger stones ? It really depend on where you want to go and what you want to do. There is a difference between different places. In big cities that are just flat, it should not be an issue(some people in wheel chair will complain about the tactile bump for the visually impaired as it add texture that can be difficult for some). If you are in Kyoto in Higashiyama, there is some good slopes and in one of the most visited street, there is stairs. Or do you want to go in a more natural place that does not have nice path, like walking in the forest ? You will also have to plan what you want to visit, as different location require to go up stairs.
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You might want to read this about mobility scooter : [https://www.accessible-japan.com/mobility-scooters-japan/](https://www.accessible-japan.com/mobility-scooters-japan/)
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And as mentioned by someone, renting is still an option.
Just for some possible ressources :
Website about accessibility : [https://www.accessible-japan.com/](https://www.accessible-japan.com/)
About adapted car rental [https://www.ido-support.com/english/rentacar.html](https://www.ido-support.com/english/rentacar.html)
I’m going to be honest – when I was in Japan last year, I couldn’t help but notice how unaccessible it is for wheelchairs (and strollers for that matter). I think you may want to look into hiring a guide or speaking to a specialist about your needs. I personally would never tell someone in a wheelchair that they would have an “easy” time in Japan. Quite the opposite. Some train stations straight up don’t have elevators and are accessed by steep stairs going up and down.
There are many great resources available for navigating Japan in a wheelchair. I would stick to those resources and try not to deviate far from them as those sources are pretty clear on any potential barriers and more. Anything outside of what’s available in the “accessible Japan” articles is a major gamble.
I would advise against bringing a scooter. While rare there are some stations that are stairs only and when you’re a tourist you may not really have the knowledge of knowing where unexpected barriers may be. I live at one of these stations, there’s not many stairs (about 5-6) but if you need to get off at my station you either can’t or have to deal with the kindness of staff/strangers to physically lift the chair which is not possible with motorized anything.
There are some accesible transportation for power chairs specially on the main cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) but as you go to other prefectures or rural areas you will notice that the streets and transportation may not be that friendly.
I’m in a similar situation where we are attempting to bring my power chair brother in-law to Tokyo. We are in a tough situation as we need to use a lift for him to transfer to his chair/bed/washroom. Here’s some advice from what I found:
The best online resources are: https://www.accessible-japan.com/ and http://www.japan-accessible.com/.
Wheelchairs have a high chance (10%) of being damaged in flight transportation, so plan on alternative arrangements if your bringing your own chair.
The Japanese genkan step before entering is the bane of japanese accessible travel. We are going to purchase a small portable ramp to get around this at our Airbnb.
Airbnb has accessible option filter but be wary of what’s shown. I’ve seen numerous places claim to be “barrier free” and then show steps outside the house.
If you need a lift it’s nearly impossible to find beds that have the space necessary to fit it underneath.
Air Canada offers Eagle aisle lifts but there is no guarantee they will have the staff to operate it. ANA/JAL both offer stretcher beds in economy for an additional fee.
I’m a manual wheelchair user and I spent a week solo in Osaka with no problem. Many buildings had steps but those were the ones I wouldn’t use. I had no trouble using the train and believe if you talk to one of the attendants they will be able to help where needed. If I recall correctly there was a slight difference between the height of the train and platform that they have ramps for.
OKinawa resident, here. You will absolutely want a rental car out here. Start contacting the rental agencies to see if there are any vans accessible for you. Is your family member military? There are some on base rental agencies as well you may be able to find. Either way, public transportation is challenging and limited to bus for the vast majority of the island; everyone needs a car.
What are your planned activities in Oki? Many tourist buildings will be fine for a wheelchair, and the main tourist hubs like American Village the same. However, if you plan to visit some of the castles/more out of the way places, you’ll start to run into challenges; even places like Cape Hedo require some rock traversing. For an island filled with old people, there is surprisingly poor sidewalk accessibility. Even on the main roads, they’ll often be blocked with cars or cement blocks by the vending machines.
Best of luck and let me know if you need any Okinawa specific tips.
I found this post from 2018 about renting a mobility scooter in Japan, which seems to allow for better train riding experiences in the Tokyo area (they give you a certificate saying you’re good to ride). Hopefully it still applies: http://www.littlemissturtle.com/mobility-scooter-rental-tokyo-2018/
I’ve been to Tokyo and the Kansai Region. I am also in a power chair and it is probably 300 pounds too. I found the public transportation very accessible. There are always elevators in each station I’ve been to. If there isn’t one then they have a stair lift. You have to ask for a “slope” at the desk and mention what station you’re getting off at. Staff will actually escort you to your train and put down the slope/ramp for you. At the station you’re getting off at, another staff member will be there waiting for you to put down the ramp. This process works 100% of the time. There wasn’t a time where no one came.
All of the popular attractions were fully accessible to me. Most of the restaurants I’ve been to was accessible, but I couldn’t get into some restaurants just because how small it is or it had stairs/no elevator.
Restrooms are fully accessible. Every bathroom has a private/family/wheelchair accessible room. The doors are semi-automatic, you just have to press the button.
For the streets, I had no issue. The road/sidewalks are flat.
Just bring your own powerchair. I don’t know how accessible Okinawa is though.