Ambulatory wheelchair worries!
Ambulatory wheelchair worries!
People who have been to Japan, Tokyo.
My first concern is of course the room, I’m not sure why when I booked it I didn’t realize just how small it was. 108sqft I’m stressing about fitting my wheelchair in the room for storage when not in use. I thought about maybe just using crutches for the trip but I do not feel comfortable doing that. So we will have to make it work with the room. Sadly front desk already said they wouldn’t store the chair upfront even if I paid 🙁 I may be able to store it in the hallway outside the room but again I worry about being impolite or someone moving it.
That being said, can I ask for an “itinerary check? I’m trying to figure out what days we will do chair and what days we will do crutches.
I’m thinking the areas for chair are
Odaiba, ginza and Maybe harajuku (there is alot of clothing stores id like to visit there so im not sure)
I only worry about using it in akihabara as i do want to do alot of shopping then and i know many stores may be too narrow or will be upstairs. Which i could do i would just need to leave my chair outside the store which i feel is kinda scary and impolite.
It’s been so nerve wracking to plan this trip as an ambulatory wheelchair user that can technically ambulate fine but not without pain and symptoms. I can push myself, i just worry about the lack of sitting places when i am out without my chair. Im not sure if anyone can help soothe my mind 😞 i just know tokyo is an insane amount of walking and i also dont wanna miss out on certain stores because i decided on wheels vs crutches those days. Agh why does health issues And travel be such a pain in the ass
- 6 Replies
Hi,
I went 2 times in Tokyo, and I am an electric power wheelchair user.
There is a LOT of accessible areas where you can stay / use your wheelchair. Sometimes there is no accessible way or it is too narrow, but the majority of shops are barrier-free (which is the term used in Japan for accessible places).
For the hotel, you can generally book a barrier-free (also called universal) room, which is larger than other rooms. I generally have enough space to place a hoist + my wheelchair next to the bed, so I think you should ask such a room for easier management.
Don’t be stressed, Japanese people are very kind and gentle, and will help you if you need help.
Feel free to ask or DM if you have other questions !How about considering using a JOY Cart?
When folded, it becomes the size of a carry-on suitcase and won’t take up much space in your room.
Because it’s narrow and compact, it’s also practical even in Akihabara.
As it is an officially recognised electric wheelchair, it can of course be used indoors without any problem.
Even if you need to leave it outside a shop, you can easily place it discreetly in a corner.Here are some videos for you to watch:
https://youtu.be/dvWLJSl088I?si=IwgRo8nDL0n2JKKp
https://youtu.be/5WNHL99VvS0?si=bQpaZiJVdzdjcsrp
If you’re interested, rentals are available here:
https://noaa.bizrent.biz/Do you know how much weight the Joy carts can take please?
Good morning
Max 115kg
What is your strength like? Will you be able to carry your shopping bags until you get back to your hotel?
I am also an ambulatory wheelchair user, mostly using a cane in my city, occasionally using a wheelchair when I go to a museum or event where I’d expect to be moving around for a few hours. I rented a wheelchair in Japan (and also requested wheelchair assistance at the airport, helpful because the attendant moved me exactly where we needed to go and because some checkpoints were slow lines). I opted to bring the wheelchair out every day, starting the day with walking pushing it, and when my pain increased, moving to sit and wheel in the wheelchair for however long necessary before I wanted to walk and move my legs again. We did not return to our hotel until past dinner. There were a couple shopping days where we stored our purchases in a station locker to pick up later. There were also times when I pushed the wheelchair and used the seat as bag-storage; my backpack remained hanging off the handles so long as I was with the wheelchair.
Will you be using taxis or trains?
I used both. For trains, I stood up and lifted the wheelchair into the train, but it was great to have the wheelchair to sit in, as oftentimes the seats were all taken. Worst part about trains with a wheelchair is navigating the station to find the elevators to the platform. Bake in extra time if you do that.
Parking a wheelchair at a location will be a mixed bag.
I went to Byodoin Temple in Uji, which was listed on Japan-accessible as all wheelchair accessible, but I found it near impossible to either wheel or push the wheelchair over the gravel grounds. They had a roped off area to store wheelchairs, so I stored mine and used two canes to get around, wearing my backpack. My pain was pretty bad by the end of the visit, I think due more to the weight of the backpack than the walking. So I recommend keep your daypack as light as possible, or store it in a locker.
Restaurants will probably either fit you into a table in your wheelchair or gesture for you to fold and park the wheelchair outside. Those times we sat at the closest table and kept an eye on the chair. One very kind basement vegan restaurant in Kyoto carried my chair downstairs and inside the door.
One store I went to was big enough to fit my wheelchair, but it was multistory. I asked if I could store my wheelchair in a corner while I crutched upstairs, but the request seemed to make them very distressed as the worker talked to another and then made a call and eventually used a translator device to say no sorry. Probably a liability thing, so my companion stood by my chair while I used canes upstairs.
Will you be going with other people? Could a companion watch your wheelchair when you want to go inside a small store? Also, if you see bicycles parked outside a store, it’s likely fine to park the wheelchair, too.
Thank you for the response. It was very helpful. I am going with my mother who is the one in need of this. Your situation is very similar to likely hers. I will be with her to help out
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