[Accessible Japan]

Hello,

I have been to Dejima and it was pretty good for accessibility (considering it is a historical site).  One of the buildings (captain’s room) even has an elevator in it so you can get to the second floor.  Other buildings have separate entrances/ramps.  It has been a few years, so my memory is a bit foggy, but I remember feeling I was satisfied/pleased with the amount I could access. (Obviously, there may be some areas which may be inaccessible).

Nara goes even father back in my memory! And it was 20 years ago… but I believe the park was reasonably accessible and I could get to the Buddha at Todaiji. (Map with wheelchair route: http://www.todaiji.or.jp/english/guidance_e.html)

Here is a barrier free / accessibility guide from Nara: https://narashikanko.or.jp/en/barrierfree/

Maybe @melanie_lmt or @joanp have visited more recently?

If there is a particular place, let me know and I can dig deeper!

[Joan Pahisa]

Hi Daan!

I don’t know about Nagasaki, but I’ve been to Nara. I went there from Osaka Namba station using the Kintetsu line, which is accessible. I guess that the JR line would also be accessible. From the station to the park, there are some steep slopes as you have to cross one or two underground passages that go under main streets. Nevertheless, they are accessible and I think that they are feasible on a power wheelchair. Around the city of Nara there are also some steep slopes, but doing detours you can find other ways.

As for the park, the deers are everywhere. Once you start approaching it from the station (all the way is mildly uphill), there are lots of them. You can make many of it with the wheelchair. There are paths among the park, some are dirt paths, some are made from cobblestone, which get a little bumpy, and some are completely fine. If you’re worried about seeing deer, don’t worry, you’ll see plenty. On April they were there until 5pm.

If you want to see the main temple with the big Buddha, it’s also accessible from a side entrance. The only problem is that to get the tickets there are stairs. If you travel alone, you’ll have to ask someone for help. Also, you won’t be able to see the outside of the temple from the front, though you will have already seen the door leading to it. The way is on the side and it gets you directly inside of the temple. Nevertheless, if you are there, it’s still nice.

If you have any other questions, I’ll answer them if I can : )

All the best!

Joan

[Melanie]

Hi @supremebananas. As @accessiblejapan mentioned I’ve been to Nara in April 2018. We went there from Osaka for a day trip. Nara is pretty accessible, the way from Nara Station to Nara Park is accessible, too. There are accessible restrooms. And the deer was everywhere! Feel free to ask if you have questions ?!

 

[supremebananas]

Thank you for the tips everyone!

I won’t be traveling until 2020 at the earliest, because by then my brother will have finished his studies and – according to a Japanese friend of mine – Japan will have been made more accessible because of the Olympics

[Accessible Japan]

Yes, things are in high-gear here!  Looking forward to having you here in 2020!  Keep asking questions 🙂

[Chris]

We were in Nara this summer. I use a powerchair. We stayed in Osaka and took the train to get to Nara, all accessible as someone mentioned. Then we took the bus to the park (buses were accessible too). The park is accessible, it is big! After the Deer Park we rolled/walked to the Todai-Ji temple. That temple is very unique and fully accessible. There is a ramp at the entrance.  Enjoy your trip, Japan is an amazing country!