{"id":24415,"date":"2024-03-13T10:13:01","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T16:13:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.landuum.com\/?p=24415"},"modified":"2024-03-13T10:13:01","modified_gmt":"2024-03-13T16:13:01","slug":"japan-without-limits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.landuum.com\/en\/land-escape-en\/japan-without-limits\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan without limits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Travel the streets of Japan from Francisco G\u00f3ngora\u00b4s perspective in <\/span>\u201cJapan without limits\u201d<\/b>.<\/span><\/em>
\n<\/p>\n

In December 2022, <\/span>a great friend suggested traveling to Japan<\/a><\/b> together. I immediately responded that I was excited about the idea, because I am passionate about traveling and seeing different places, <\/span>although it is not the easiest thing for me, since I’m a wheelchair user<\/b> and a journey to the other side of the world <\/span>represents a great challenge<\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, a short time later, I was filled with curiosity and intrigue about Japanese culture. <\/span>As a visual artist and architecture student, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity <\/b>to experience life in Japan up close.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without realizing it, <\/span>I found myself very excited <\/b>while organizing the trip for the Easter holidays. At the same time, <\/span>I felt a bit worried about the accessibility aspect<\/b>. However, considering that it was a first-world country, I assumed there wouldn’t be major limitations, and luckily, I was correct. <\/span>Japan welcomed me with open arms and with cities that were adapted and accessible for me<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan.
Photography: Francisco G\u00f3ngora<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cJapan welcomed me with open arms and with cities that were adapted and accessible for me.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The first stop was Tokyo<\/a><\/b>, which is just as it appears in the movies, a big futuristic city with giant buildings and a monumental scale. The subway is the most commonly used mode of transportation, <\/span>it was very easy to travel on it because all the lines had elevators<\/b>. Additionally, <\/span>there was designated space for wheelchairs <\/b>inside the subway cars, making it very comfortable for me, since in other cities I have visited, it’s almost impossible to use public transportation autonomously. <\/span><\/p>\n

Similarly, it was extremely easy to navigate as a pedestrian. <\/span>The sidewalks were approximately 5 meters wide and very well-maintained<\/b>, with no holes or obstacles that hindered passage. From there, <\/span>we headed to Osaka<\/b>, which is just as large as Tokyo but slightly more neglected. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Temple in Kyoto.
Photography: Carlos Medina Bolio<\/p><\/div>\n

My commute was relatively simple, however, <\/span>it was difficult to find elevators that go down to the subway<\/b>. I was surprised that, thanks to the technology they have, almost all doors are automatic, public restrooms have buttons and most of them have changing tables for babies and handrails. Additionally, <\/span>the sinks have an appropriate height<\/b> that allowed me to use them without any problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our third stop was <\/span>Kyoto<\/b><\/a>, and being a compact city, i<\/span>t was possible to reach many places without needing to use public transportation<\/b>. This was very beneficial as <\/span>it allowed me to have a deeper pedestrian experience<\/b>, observing the streets and the flow of people.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Japanese landscape.
Photography: Francisco G\u00f3ngora<\/p><\/div>\n

I would like to explain <\/span>the city of Nara<\/a><\/b> in a detailed manner, which was once the capital of Japan and stands out as one of the ancient cities that has been exceptionally well-preserved. It is one of the places that captivated me the most. Stepping off the Osaka\/Nara train, we were welcomed by a warmer and calmer atmosphere, contrasting with the bustling big cities, and <\/span>staying true to the idea we have of ancient Japan<\/b>, as it maintains a smaller scale.<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, <\/span>I had the sensation of being in a huge park with hectares of green fields<\/b>, enormous cherry blossoms (Sakura) trees that seemed unreal, legendary temples, diverse vegetation, lakes with giant carp, and many animals. All of this together radiated peace and harmony. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Cherry blossom.
Photography: Francisco G\u00f3ngora<\/p><\/div>\n

Nara is famous for its deer that roam freely through the city, considered a natural heritage of the country <\/b>due to an ancient Japanese legend that tells of a deity riding a white deer, hence considering them sacred.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Being one of its main attractions, <\/span>special food is sold to feed and interact with them<\/b>. As I strolled through this environment, I had an experience that is hard to explain, as it felt like being in a Studio Ghibli film.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Field in Nara.
Photography: Francisco G\u00f3ngora<\/p><\/div>\n

While being there, <\/span>it was very easy to move around in the wheelchair,<\/b> as many temples and museums had elevators. However, there were a few where they had to assist me in getting up because most of them have steps at the main entrance. <\/span><\/p>\n

Getting lost in the streets of the big metropolises and <\/span>immersing myself in the natural beauty of Nara was very special for me<\/b>. Despite the initial uncertainty about how I would navigate in an unfamiliar country mostly on my own, <\/span>I was able to complete my journey safely<\/b>, cherishing that memory with a lot of affection and gratitude.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Francisco in Japan.
Photography: Carlos Medina Bolio<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Travel the streets of Japan from Francisco G\u00f3ngora\u00b4s perspective in \u201cJapan without limits\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":271,"featured_media":24399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[191],"tags":[1842,1877,1874,1873,1571,1875,1572,447,1872,243,636,281,639,1401,324,1397,1396,662,1876,399,1563,1561],"class_list":["post-24415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-land-escape-en","tag-accessibility","tag-cherry-blossom-en","tag-cherry-tree","tag-deer","tag-ed-29-landscaping-and-universal-access","tag-elevator","tag-inclusion-en","tag-japan","tag-japanese-landscape","tag-landscape","tag-landscaping","tag-landuum-2","tag-magazine","tag-naturaleza-en","tag-nature","tag-paisaje-en","tag-paisajismo-en","tag-sidewalk","tag-signage","tag-trees","tag-universal-access","tag-wheelchair"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t