Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Travellers With Disabilities
Although Kyoto has made some attempts at making public facilities more accessible, its
narrow streets and the terrain of sights such as temples and shrines make it a challenging
city for people with disabilities, especially for those in wheelchairs.
If you are going to travel by train and need assistance, ask one of the station workers as
you enter the station.
There are carriages on most lines that have areas set aside for those in wheelchairs.
Those with other physical disabilities can use one of the seats set aside near the train exits;
these are called
yūsen-zaseki
and are usually a different colour from the other seats in the
carriage, making them easy to spot. You'll also find these seats near the front of buses;
usually they're a different colour from the regular seats.
MK Taxi
( 721-2237)
can accommodate wheelchairs in many of its cars and is an at-
tractive possibility for anyone interested in touring the city by cab.
Facilities for the visually impaired include musical pedestrian lights at many city inter-
sections and raised bumps on railway platforms for guidance.
AD-Brain (the same outfit that publishes the monthly
Kyoto Visitor
'
s Guide
) has pro-
duced a basic city map for people with disabilities and senior citizens. It shows
wheelchair-access points in town and gives information on public transport access etc.
The most useful information for disabled visitors to Japan is provided by the
Japanese
Japanese; c/o Volunteers Division, Japanese Red Cross Society, 1-1-3 Shiba Daimon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8521,
Japan)
.
Visas
Generally, visitors who are not planning to engage in income-producing activities while in
Japan are exempt from obtaining visas and will be issued a
tanki-taizai
(temporary visitor)
visa on arrival.
The following nationalities are eligible for a 90-day temporary visitor visa on arrival:
»
Australia
