This past Saturday was the public grand opening of the National Stadium that will be used for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. Winners of a ticket lottery were able to look around the stadium and enjoy a special opening event that included traditional dances, performances by athletes and musical Read more…
By Frank Mondelli Garbled voices over loudspeakers, screens that don’t show last-minute schedule changes, crowded environments where it’s hard to see important – oftentimes, D/deaf and hearing-impaired persons are no strangers to travel complications, especially one what tend to be multi-step journeys like going to Japan. As organizations in Japan Read more…
Shinjuku Gyoen is currently running a trial of its new smartphone guide this week and Accessible Japan was invited to try it out to ensure it can be a service for all visitors. The new head of accessibility at Shinjuku Gyoen has only been on the job for a short Read more…
By Justin Schroth What does a man that can lift over twice his weight, two Paralympic gold medals, and Kabukiza have in common? That would be Siamand Rahman being photographed at one of Tokyo’s famous Kabuki theaters, for the final addition to The Tokyo Organising Committee’s recognition of Paralympic Athletes. Read more…
By Mark Bookman Although Sumo was officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 2018, no matches are scheduled to take places as part of the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Instead, fans are encouraged to travel to official tournaments, which take place six times a year. In this article, I Read more…
By Mark Bookman As a wheelchair user, I try my best to anticipate barriers to accessibility before traveling abroad. In practical terms, this means researching my destination ahead of time to discern if there are any stairs, closed-off spaces, or potential pitfalls (either literal or metaphorical). Despite my best efforts, Read more…