Lightweight manual wheelchair rental? Logistics of wheelchair rental?
Lightweight manual wheelchair rental? Logistics of wheelchair rental?
I’m an ambulatory wheelchair user living in the US. Usually I use canes daily. I can walk ~1km, or stand ~10min (less as the day goes on), before I need to sit or switch to my wheelchair. My wheelchair is manual, self-propel, 24lb, foldable, 18” width. It has removable foot plates. I am planning on visiting Japan for ~2.5 weeks during cherry blossom season, starting in Tokyo, going through Hakone, Osaka, Kyoto, back to Tokyo.
How do I find a lightweight wheelchair to rent for this visit (preferably with similar specs to my home wheelchair)? I might be able to fit into a 16” width seat if need be. I am able to lift my 24lb wheelchair out of a trunk. My companion could probably lift 40lb chair for me.
( I have not used a power or hybrid wheelchair before; are there any that are lightweight and can be put into a taxi?)
Would I be able to rent one wheelchair for this trip, or would I need to return and rent a new one at each city?
I have not traveled on a plane or vacationed longer than an overnight stay since I began to require mobility aids. Is there anything I should be aware of?
Thank you very much
- 6 Replies
This rental wheelchair may be fitting to your requests. You can get it in Tokyo, and keep it continuously all through your trip, and return it in Tokyo when you will leave.
That looks like the type of wheelchair I am looking for. Thank you!
I have several further questions, but I shall type them up and submit through the contact form on the site.
My daughter uses a fixed frame manual wheelchair. We flew with it to Japan and travelled extensively without any problems. The airline has to carry it without charge. She used it to the aircraft door and it was delivered to the door on disembarking. You would be better off taking your own wheelchair because you are used to it. As it’s foldable the usual challenges of finding space should not occur. Public transport is accessible in most places, just be careful when making hotel reservations because rooms tend to be very compact as a rule.
Hi Liv,
If you’re open to trying an electric lightweight chair for your trip, the WHILL Model F could be a great option. It’s foldable, lightweight, and fits easily into a car trunk or taxi—so it’s perfect for getting around Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, and Osaka.
We can also deliver the chair to your hotel at the start of your trip and pick it up when you’re ready to head home. That way, you can keep the same chair for the whole 2.5 weeks without worrying about swapping rentals in each city.
You can check out the rental options here: https://whill.inc/jp/en/daily-rental#DailyRentalNavigation
Hope this helps make your Japan adventure a little easier!
That looks very interesting! I wish I could try it, but I believe the 59 lb weight would be too heavy for my companion to lift up some stairs, and so not suitable for the whole of our trip. I wonder if I would be able to rent for one day trip in Tokyo or one day trip in Osaka, but I see the Whill website has a minimum 4-day rental period. Do you know if there are local wheelchair rental stores in Tokyo or Osaka that offer the Whill model F for 1-or-2-day rental?
Hi Liv,
Yeah, our apologies, currently the minimum number of days we’re able to rent out the chair is 4, mainly due to the delivery work required. However, for Tokyo we might we able to work something out for you. Please shoot me an email at jp.ss-sales@whill.inc and let me know when you’re planning to be in Tokyo and we’ll see what we can do for you.
Osaka might be a bit more difficult, but if you’re headed to Kyoto as well, our partner HIS is offering our devices there for 1 day or more.
H.I.S. Co., Ltd
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