Since the age of four, I have used a motorized wheelchair, but that never halted my desire to travel. To date, I’ve visited all seven continents and 50 countries as a wheelchair user, and one destination that was at the top of my travel bucket list for as long as I can remember was Japan. I dreamed of visiting Japan for so long and frequently scoured this website (Accessible Japan) in awe of the possibilities, but I wondered if Japan would actually be accessible for me. And would it live up to my extremely high expectations?
Several months ago, I was determined to find out exactly what Japan would be like as a wheelchair user. I boarded a nonstop flight from Atlanta to Tokyo, and over the course of twelve days, I explored the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto, and enjoyed a spectacular day trip to Nara. From visiting Tokyo’s unique cafes to rolling through the bamboo grove in Kyoto, my mind was absolutely blown by Japan. It was truly one of my favorite trips of all time and overall, I was impressed with accessibility. Sure, parts of Tokyo and Kyoto were inaccessible for me, but I found a lot of activities and attractions that I could easily enjoy as well.
Below, I’ll share with you my favorite wheelchair accessible attraction in Tokyo and my favorite accessible thing that I did in Kyoto. Then, I’ll share my hopes for a future trip to this marvelous country. Without further ado, here are a couple of my favorite things that I did in Japan as a wheelchair user!
My Favorite Accessible Place in Tokyo
For my time in Tokyo, I was most excited to visit the unique cafes. I ended up visiting the Maidreamin maid cafe, the Harry Potter Cafe, OZ Owl Cafe, and the Anakuma Cafe, but my favorite cafe by far, and my favorite attraction in all of Tokyo, was the DAWN Avatar Robot Cafe.
As a person with a disability, I loved the DAWN Avatar Robot Cafe because the robots in this cafe are controlled by people with disabilities from their own homes. This cafe is giving people a chance to work and interact with customers, when they may not have been able to work otherwise due to being bedbound. I was incredibly moved by this concept and loved chatting with several of the robots.
You can visit the cafe just for a coffee, but with a reservation, you can enjoy a full dinner. I had a delicious dinner here and was also happy to discover how inclusive and accessible DAWN Avatar Robot Cafe is. Their accessible restroom is truly amazing and should be an example for other businesses around the world.
If you would like to learn more about the DAWN Avatar Robot Cafe or see my many other experiences in Tokyo, check out my wheelchair accessible Tokyo travel guide here.
My Favorite Accessible Thing to Do in Kyoto
Kyoto is famous for temples, which are absolutely stunning and I visited several of them, but I really love to seek out cultural immersion experiences when traveling. Understanding the significance of tea in Japanese culture, I wanted to experience a traditional tea ceremony. At WAK JAPAN in Kyoto, I participated in a private, hour-long tea ceremony. We delved into the historical and cultural importance of tea, its health benefits, and the precise art of tea preparation.
The instructor at WAK JAPAN was incredibly knowledgeable and guided us through the intricate steps of making tea. Despite not usually being a fan of matcha, I found the final product surprisingly delicious, so much so that I purchased some to take home. The entire experience was both educational and enjoyable, providing a unique insight into Japanese customs and traditions.
WAK JAPAN demonstrated excellent accessibility. A wooden ramp, though steep, allowed me to enter the building, and inside, a table was set up to ensure my full participation in the ceremony. This activity was a highlight of my time in Kyoto and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone visiting the city.
To read more about my wheelchair accessible experiences in Kyoto, just click here.
I loved my time in Japan so much and I know that I will return to the country in the future. There is still more that I’d like to see of the country, including cities like Osaka and Hiroshima. Even in Tokyo and Kyoto, there is still more that I want to experience.
Japan offers a lot for visitors of all abilities and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to explore some of the country’s amazing destinations recently. Without a doubt, Japan captured my heart and I am already anxiously looking forward to my next visit!
Cory Lee
Cory Lee has traveled across all seven continents and 50 countries in his powered wheelchair while managing to run his travel blog CurbFreeWithCoryLee.com, where he shares his accessible — and sometimes not so accessible — travel adventures with others. Cory has also published a children’s book, “Let’s Explore with Cor Cor”, gained over 150,000 followers across his social media channels, hosts annual group trips, where his followers can join him in international destinations, and in 2022 he launched The Curb Free Foundation. This nonprofit provides wheelchair users with travel grants to go on their dream trip. As always, Cory’s goal is to inspire other wheelchair users to roll out of their comfort zones and see all of the beauty our world has to offer.
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