Japan holiday for someone in a wheelchair

A mate of mine has Multiple Sclerosis, he can walk, but not far and relies on a wheelchair for most of the time. Now I know when I was in Japan, I saw pretty much nothing in the way of wheelchair access or saw anyone with any physical ailment, so my question is as such:

Does anyone know, or have experience of what he/we would expect on arrival in Japan as far as access to trains, the usual tourist sites, restaurants, and response from the general populace be?

Basically he has always wanted to go, and his MS is progressively getting worse, so if he is to have any chance of going, it has to be soon. I want to know if he will get the chance to enjoy this or if he will be up the creek without a paddle so to speak. I will probably be going with him, and don't mind relying on taxi's to get everywhere if need be, but obviously, the Japanese aren't the most tolerant to foreigners at the best of times, so one in a wheelchair might make the experience unbearable for him.

Thanks in advance.

 

This might be of use it has some links
http://www.disabledtravelers.com/blog/2010/02/16/first-look-disabled-travel-in-japan/

And this site too
http://www.tesco-premium.co.jp/aj/index.htm

 

Japan sort of prides it's self on their "barrier free" buildings and public access. While everywhere won't be accessable I'd say it's a lot better than the UK but then again it's been 5 years since I was last there. Even at the JR station you can get help with wheelchair access to the trains.

 

Yeah, I would also like to second the above said. japan is quite wheelchair friendly (the same goes for blind markings and guides etc.).

furthermore, I also would like to wish your friend just the very best and enough strength on his further course.

 

Cheers guys!

He understands he won't be able to go everywhere and see everything as it's pretty much the same over here, there's some places you just can't get to in a wheelchair. My worry was how restricted he/we would find it, to the point where he would regret going. Things like disabled toilet access would be a big problem, you can't expect someone who has almost no balance/leg strength to squat over a Japanese hole-in-the-floor toilet for example.

I sent some of the links to my work address so I can show them to him in work, will see what he thinks. I obviously have not bigged up the idea for him yet as wasn't sure what the real picture was outside of the few accessibility sites I have found.

 

In the most cases (as for Stations, public facilities etc.) they have at least one western style toilet, also with bigger space for wheelchairs.

Sure it could be a different story, if he were in an izakaya e.g. and has the urge for his private business.

 

I'd go with Assember's comment, although it's getting better. Everything is built on top of each other, and loads of buildings are just shitty. As such, there's probably places that are going to be inaccessible or simply a pain in the ass. It's not America where you can get sued for anything. Things have gotten WAY better in 10 years though - train stations for one. Very few will not have elevators. I'd *HIGHLY* suggest learning some survival level wheelchair phrases thought just in case. Often you'll find only one of multiple exits accomodating. I'll go ahead and tell you know that Narita Fucking Express in Shinjuku will not be fun. It's still unders construction: escalator only.

 

I know for a fact that the trains/stations are very accomodating, if you let them know they'll be waiting for you at your planned stop with a ramp and everything ready to help. Don't know how easy it will be if you don't speak any Japanese though, since you would need to ask for help quite often.

 

When you pass through the ticket gate, you will necessarily have to go through the wide gate at the ticket officer's window. It's there that the officer will ask (or you ask him) to arrange the ramp, probably.

 

Almost every shop won't be accessible, sometimes it's difficult just to walk around due to extreme little space between one shelf and another

 

I can speak some, not a lot, but enough to get by, picking up some phrases for this situation shouldn't be an issue.

He is a gamer but isn't really interested in just hardcore Akihabara shopping, he want's to see Japan more than rummaging through bins of 100yen WonderSwan games*.









*That's for me when he wants a day off to relax lol

 

If that's the case, try and find any Hyper Media Shops. They reduced the price of all Wonderswan games to 50 yen. However, chances are they might be all gone by the time you arrive.

 

Probably, might not be until next year at this rate, spent £1100 on camera gear in the last 2 months so kind of skint.

 

Apropos of nothing in particular: last time I was in Japan I saw a guy in a wheelchair shopping at Super Potato, so I guess that's handicapped-accessible... sort of. Seemed like a bit of a tight fit though.

 

He isn't really interested in going to shop for games, but it's good to know if I want to pop in and he is around, thanks!

No comes the obvious and awkward question... will he be able to get into Soap Land?

 

As GaijinPunch once put it, "Places where fellatio or better are offered are generally barred from Whitey"

But, I'm sure that's for most of the places where Japanese women are employed. I can't imagine there to be any problems if the women are Korean/Chinese.

However, I've yet to hear about a Soap Land without Japanese employees. Someone care to educate me?

 

Yeah I heard Japanese women = no non Japanese males but Korean/Chinese women were fair game.

I was in Kabukicho one night and there were plenty of black guys trying to get us into various places.

 

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I have had some fun conversations with the Nigerian guys trying to get me into the Kabukicho places. What these tend to be are bars with women in them and extremely over priced drinks. You might get to see some boobs, but that's all you are going to get and the most excited you'll get is when you see the bill at the end.

That said, there was a gang of us in Kabukicho a few years back, everyone there with their partners. Guy comes up and says "Come to my titty bar!" , i point out that the girls with us are our wives/girlfriends.

"So? .... The ladies can have price drinks and they can touch the tits FOR FREE!"

pretty amusing, though not many of the ladies were up for it so we passed.

Entry to Soap Land - the biggest barrier to entry will be Japanese ability more than anything.

 

Hey, I hear they suck a mean dick. Might want to try it next time!