*This section as well as others are difficult to maneuver through but the hope is to make the website more easy-to-navigate. Changes are erratic and impulsive but this is to get out in front of and use impulsive tendencies. Please expect a more user-friendly site in the near future–thank you for stopping by.
Central Tokyo:
1 Toyama Sunrise (in west Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
2 Tokyo Metropolitan Sports Center for the Disabled (in Kita Ward, Tokyo)
3 Tama Sports Center for the Disabled (in Kunitachi City, Tokyo)
4 Tokyo Central Youth Hostel (in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
5 Toyoko Inn Kuramae Kaminarimon (in Taito Ward, Tokyo)
From Tokyo to the west (transportation)
6 Big-I (Big-i) International Communication Center for Persons with Disabilities
7 Osaka Sports Center for the Disabled (on Maishima Island in Konohana Ward, Osaka)
8 Toyoko Inn Shinsaibashi (in Chuo Ward, Osaka)
9 Wills Aichi (Aichi Women’s Center) (in Higashi Ward, Nagoya)
Toyama Sunrise (in west Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
Toyama Sunrise, also known as the National Welfare Center for Persons with Disabilities, is a government-funded facility and a lot happens here. Their activities include training and technical assistance of international organizations, research, counseling, and providing lodging accommodations. Their facilities are also rented out so a lot of outside organizations make use of their meeting rooms. People come and go and it adds to the excitement of the place. But the place is also surprisingly quiet as is its surrounding neighborhood which includes many mixed uses. There’s a lot of human services activity (International Medical Center of Japan is a short walk away) and Tokyo’s Waseda University (main campus) is in the neighborhood. Of all the accommodations, Toyama Sunrise evokes the most specific feeling that I am in Japan. As Toyama Sunrise is focused on persons with disabilities, their accommodations are for their use. However, in 2015, my sister’s family were able to book a room for their own use so it is possible for able-bodied persons to also stay here. Accommodations can be booked at 4500 yen (single) and 8000 yen (twin). Noticeably, the entrance’s sliding door churns out a tune at every opening from very early in the morning. But it is a very pleasant sound and I enjoyed hearing it every time.
Buildings (and lodging)
Each room has an air-conditioning and heating unit but each bed also had a heated blanket, an unusual amenity but likely an accommodation of its disabled and elderly guests. This simple amenity was very helpful when the temperatures got cold.
Yukata and slippers are available for use as pre- and post- bathing wear.
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Bathing and bathing facilities in Japan
When choosing places to stay at (or visit), considering bathing facilities might be of interest for travelers. Bathing is elevated to a higher significance, most notably observed in the popularity of onsen (hot springs) and the enduring, but declining sento (community baths).
Onsen
Onsen is sourced from geothermal energy. Some waters naturally flow from aquifers; others rely on pumps to draw the hot water from the earth’s depths. From one onsen to the next, there is variation in the methods used to cool the naturally hot water. Some rely on structures like chutes, fountains, and other structures, all designed to allow flow and subsequent cooling. There are places like Kusatsu Onsen where labor-intensive cooling methods involve churning water with wooden paddles (in synchronicity with song). See https://fb.watch/AaNfp7qtRG/
Humans, by the way, on not the only species to derive benefits from onsen. (Caught this on the radio but it talks of therapeutic and possible medical benefits of high heat sauna which, in some ways, is not too different from onsen: Saunas’ health benefits draw enthusiasts and researchers : NPR)
Sentos
Sentos are bathhouses and unlike most establishments, all that indicates their presence is a cloth with the Japanese character for yu. They are considered old-fashioned and are a disappearing neighborhood establishment but I have seen one in Asakusa, surprisingly in a shopping complex. The Asakusa area seems to have more bathhouses than most (see Near Tokyo Skytree and Sensoji Temple! 6 Public Baths in Asakusa – Japan Travel Guide MATCHA; note: Tattoos have been historically associated with yakuza, leading to the common policy of tattoo bans at bathhouses. The link, however, identifies several bathhouses that do not follow this rule).
In terms of utility and motivation, hygiene is oftentimes secondary to relaxation. This also applies to at-home bathing facilities which have unique features that differentiate itself from the American bathing experience. Washing and soaking are kept separate and it is customary to scrub oneself clean before entering the bathtub. Bathwater is unusually hot and is allowed to splash about into a deep basin and onto the surrounding tiled floor. The bathtub is of a peculiar shape, having a narrow width and a depth that allows for a full body soak. The laundry room is adjacent to the bathing area; this spatial relationship allows for the reuse of bathwater. A hose (and pump) redirects old bathwater to washing machines, for cost-saving and environmental reasons. See see Recycling bath water for laundry 風呂水ポンプ | Alice Gordenker アリス・ゴーデンカー
According to Gordenker’s survey, 55% of respondents practice the reuse of bathwater. Goals of water conservation are also applied in the reuse of bathwater by all household members.
The bathing experience also includes the wooden tub, once common in countryside homes but now only reliably found in ryokans and other traditional settings. My grandmother’s home had one and it was a source of great enjoyment and relaxation. Like the modern-day bathtub, wooden baths have an unusual depth. However, in its distinction, bathwater is kept hot and reused over several days. Such bathtubs, usually made of hinoki (Japanese cypress), give out a woody, sweet aroma and adds to the feeling of relaxation. An experience with such old-fashioned bathing facilities is something travellers might want to consider and is an example of how old design is paradoxically modern and sustainable. See Ofuro, Japan’s sustainable bath.
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Access and accessibility
Neighborhood
Shinjuku Ward’s Center for People with Disabilities is next door to Toyama Sunrise. This facility has a vocational rehabilitation focus and people with disabilities come here to work and for training.
*The fuchsia writing (on the map) indicates the Shinjuku Ward Welfare Center for Persons with Disabilities. Toyama Sunrise is directly below the Center while the neighborhood markers include the International Medical Center, Meiji Dori (that leads to central Shinjuku), a sports center, and soba shop. The center’s bus, only serving the center’s users and visitors with prior authorization, has wide coverage and has stops as far as Shinjuku Station.
Most of the center’s services have a vocational focus but there are supports that integrate in-home physical and social challenges. There are gray areas and layers to consider but Japan is collectivist and the U.S. is powered by individual will and advancement. This difference is palpable and can be seen and felt in the nature, provision, and physical infrastructure of social services. To illustrate, this vocational center includes the following services:
*Bathing assistance for those individuals who experience barriers to bathing in their homes. An electronic lift and helper is available to assist with bathing.
**Short term housing (of up to 25 consecutive days) is available on-site for those experiencing hardships and barriers in their home environment.
Waseda University’s main campus is a short 3-4 minute walk from Toyama Sunrise. There’s a strong student presence and as you would expect from a college town, there are many shops and restaurants around. But atypically, the area is quiet and lowkey and it feels like all the greenery plays a role in this. This is Shinjuku but a calm section of it.
Homes in the neighborhood
Where to eat
Tokyo Metropolitan Sports Center for the Disabled (in Kita Ward, Tokyo)
This sports center is in Tokyo’s Jujo-dai, a quiet locality to the north that is in close proximity to many train stations, smaller ones and the busy Ikebukuro Station. It’s in an area with many parks, including Chuo Park, separated from the center’s field by a fence, Kaga Park, across the street and with a tree-lined canal and Asukayama Park, by Oji Station, where you’ll find one of the city’s best spots for hydrangea viewing (in late May/early June). The sports center is one of my favorite places in Japan and on a few trips, I spent a lot of my days at the center either watching sports activities or making rounds around the tracks.
This sports center and another in Tokyo proper (Tama Sports Center for the Sports Center for the Disabled in western Tokyo) are sports institutions and people come here for swimming, track and field, basketball, table tennis and other sports activities. But, the centers in Tokyo also provide overnight accommodations that, like the sports facilities, are open to persons with disabilities and their caregivers. Rooms are available at a nominal fee of 1500 yen a night per person. Not many rooms are available and reservations can be made three months in advance. On many trips, I booked my reservations exactly at that three-month prior mark by email. From my experience, there are no English-speaking staff (it’s possible some may have English ability but there is noone on staff whose job responsibility includes English proficiency). To ensure my reservations, I always email the center for confirmation of my bookings usually one month prior to my trip. *When I find the center’s email I will post it here but their website can be found here: 東京都障害者総合スポーツセンター – 東京都障害者スポーツ協会ポータルサイト (tsad-portal.com) and the section on lodging here: 宿泊室を利用される方へ – 東京都障害者スポーツ協会ポータルサイト (tsad-portal.com)
As for protocol regarding use of the sports facilities, I was issued a membership card that gave me access to sports activities but I am not entirely sure if the card’s issuance was atypical (note: The first year I stayed there, the center did not issue any card).
Access/Accessibility
Just outside the sports center:
Trips to and from local stations and Ikebukuro are convenient as the sports center runs two buses, one that serves Oji and Jujo Station and another that serves Ikebukuro and Nishi Sugamo stations. This is important because of the convenience to many neighborhoods and to cope with the intense humidity and heavy rains of Tokyo’s summers. Missing buses is not that big a concern because rides are at regular intervals.
Neighborhood
Ikebukuro Station can be divided into west commercial (the side of the bus stop) and the entertainment area of the east. This is a chindonya procession that passed by the bus stop. They play percussive instruments and saxophone/clarinet and advertise local businesses.
It was through use of the sports center’s buses that I found some very special places in northern Tokyo. They include Sugamo Jizo Dori (right by Sugamo Station, one stop away from Nishi Sugamo Station), a long shopping street of over 200 shops that make it “Grandma’s Harajuku”. This street is filled with confections, comfort foods, clothing, and Koganji Temple. Prices are very cheap and I love the unpretentiousness of the busy place. The street is paved with red brick on this 800 meter long street; it prevents slippage. And, from observation the shopkeepers and attendants are similar in age to the street’s patrons.
On the main street that leads to Sugamo Jizo Dori:
Oji Station is in a moderately commercial area that, like the rest of Jujo-dai, has a lot of greenery.
Asukayama Park is a brief walk from the Oji Station bus stop. I did some research in advance and knew that this park is one of Tokyo’s best hydrangea viewing spots. When the rains let up, I made a visit and found a lengthy, narrow path with hydrangeas on one side and JR train tracks on the other.
Buildings/Rooms
Rooms are for two- to three-person use but occasionally, they have assigned me to a room with two beds despite my single-use booking. Bathrooms are in the hallway but there is a sink in each room. For bathing, there is a common use bath, large and small, for guests’ use. They are very similar to onsen-style baths and have uncharacteristically hot water and are large regardless of their category. The times that my mother stayed there, she made full use of these bathing facilities, reserving them nightly and using them for the full hour.
Barrier free-rooms have beds at this height or are height-adjustable. Without exception, ADA-compliant hotel rooms have beds of a height that compromise independence for the mobility-impaired.
Food
The sports center runs a restaurant (pictured above to the left) where you can have staples like ramen and udon but as the sports center bus driver commented, “the food is not all that great.”
Natto for dinner.
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The origins of natto as told in Nihon Mukashi Banashi:
(Understanding of the Japanese language is not entirely necessary to get the gist of the story. )
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At Ikebukuro Station:
For anyone else who likes seeing illustrations of foods:
At Oji Station:
Tama Sports Center for the Disabled (in Kunitachi City, Tokyo)
This sports center is in the Tokyo metropolis but outside Tokyo’s special wards and to the west. It’s in Kunitachi, a city of the Tama region, an area of many quiet, green commuter suburbs with the main Tama River flowing across. Tama River is also In Kunitachi and is just beyond Daigaku (University) Dori, the tree-lined boulevard that leads to Hitotsubashi University and the sports center. (Note: For any Studio Ghibli enthusiasts, Whisper of the Heart is based off of Tama).
A commuter train (JR Chuo line, Rapid) ride from Shinjuku to Kunitachi Station takes under 30 minutes. The sports center is a 7-minute walk and 2-minute sports center bus ride from Kunitachi Station. The entire Daigaku Dori is unusually flat (length- and width-wise), making it a very easy trip to make. (Note: The slightest angle width-wise can have a major impact on the trip’s difficulty.) Significantly, Kunitachi has a western atmosphere and its cherry blossom tree-lined Daigaku Dori is also lined with old lamps imported from France.
Like the sports center in central Tokyo, Tama’s sports center has sports, community, and lodging facilities. Accommodations are for 1500 yen per night (per person) but rooms are noticeably more modern in their amenities and furnishings. There’s ample natural lighting and the lodging area has a surprisingly bold (red brick) exterior that seems more like the facade of an apartment.
A useful fact to know is that Wednesdays are oftentimes a day of business closure. This means the sports center here and at other sports centers (excluding Maishima in Osaka) are closed on Wednesdays. You can stay Tuesday but check out on Wednesday morning to a facility that is practically empty (and has most of its lights off).
Access and Accessibility
Neighborhood
Kichijoji:
Buildings and Rooms
Where to Eat
This is a college town and you’ll find plenty of food establishments along Kunitachi dori (also known as Daigaku dori). There are several grocery stores, including Seiyu, a short walking distance from the sports center (and Kunitachi Station).
Tokyo Central Youth Hostel (in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
Note: This hostel was formerly known as Tokyo International Hostel.
Buildings
Plovers aren’t the most common city bird but there were several sightings of this funny-looking bird (in the stream) that stand out for their bandit-like face and fast scissor walk.
Access and accessibility
This hostel is in central Tokyo and is within walking distance of the Imperial Palace. It is a short two-minute walk from the complicated Iidabashi station where you’ll find several (four) subway lines and the JR Chuo (commuter) line. It is convenient but the station itself is difficult to figure out as confusing routes of many elevators and stair lifts (for people in wheelchairs) lead to train platforms. The JR platform, built above ground, is embedded within the Imperial Palace’s outer moat. The small stream at the hostel’s perimeter, I think, is a tributary of the outer moat. The Kagurazaka district is an old one and along with its entertainment uses, has been home to samurai houses. Sections of Kagurazaka (zaka means slope) are hilly and have Kagurazaka cobble-stoned streets. If you have difficulties with mobility, the geography of the area will be a challenge to navigate through.
The hostel offers mostly shared use rooms but a special request can be made to book a two-person room with a private bathroom (note: there are only two rooms with private bathrooms). Guest rooms have two- to four- person rooms and fees vary from 11000 yen (one person) to progressively lower rates with additional guests (5750 yen for two). Rooms with additional amenities, including tv and refrigerator, are available for a higher fee (i.e., 12100 yen for one person use and 6380 yen for use by two persons). To book the Japanese tatami-style rooms (highly recommended), it is 6160 yen for a three-person use. If you book for one, you will be roomed with strangers.
As the hostel serves many international guests, English-speaking staff are available (if not the standard).
Neighborhood
Where to eat
It would be hard to go hungry in this area. Combinis are nearby if you need to dine on a budget. Regular meals were of combini-bought rice balls and sandwiches. Food stalls, too, serve hot, filling meals (like oden and ramen) on a budget (on a side note, it is a source of frustration that ramen is under 600 yen in Japan but now a pricey 20 dollars plus in Los Angeles). The hostel’s building, too, offers ample eating opportunities in its ground floor supermarket (more upscale and specialty) and food “court” on the topmost floor.
*This is one of the last yatai in Tokyo. Fukuoka Prefecture is the last region to have yatai in abundance.
(The photo below is not from any trip but it shows what to expect from a typical oden.)
(Kinchaku also refers to an actual purse but for this edible version, there’s a nice glob of mochi.)
Toyoko Inn (Asakusa District in Tokyo)
There are Toyoko Inns all across Japan and I stayed at the ones in Asakusa’s Kuramae, Kyoto’s Shijo, and Osaka’s Shinsaibashi areas. Toyoko Inn is well used by businessmen and travellers who need a cheap place to stay. This is the only photo I took of any of the Toyoko Inns.
Access and accessibility
This Toyoko Inn is a two-minute walk from Kuramae (subway) Station and a short walk from Asakusa’s Kannon Temple. The closeness to the temple allows impromptu and casual trips to the temple.
There is a barrier-free room available, however, it is the only room on the ground floor and right next to the kitchen area.
Neighborhood
This Toyoko Inn is in the Asakusa District, on the same street as Nakamise Dori. Please see “Asakusa” in the “Neighborhoods” page for more information.
Buildings and rooms
Toyoko Inns are budget hotels with compact rooms. Single rooms go for 9300 yen ($53). The windows here and at the other ones I stayed at looked out to a building wall an alley across. But, these hotels are an important option if travelling on a budget so space and views take a backseat. One warning, however, is that the room (Shinsaibashi) had an intolerable stench (of waste) coming from the room. I had to get relief by holing up in the bathroom and running the fan. At some point, I think I just got used to the smell and was able to sleep in the room.
From Tokyo to (Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka)
Fujikawaguchiko Station in Yamanashi Prefecture (Source: Google Maps)
Travel from Tokyo to Nagoya and beyond is usually by shinkansen (bullet train). Nozomi offers the fastest service, allowing 2 hour and 21 minutes for a trip from Tokyo to Osaka. (Travel times from Tokyo to Nagoya is at its fastest at 1 hour and 40 minutes but the Chuo Shinkansen, currently in the works, will connect the two cities in 40 minutes. Seems excessive). It is faster by speed and fewer stops and for persons with disabilities, private compartments are available albeit on a limited basis. Wheelchair users can also use the slower bullet train (Hikari) and you sit among other passengers. Importantly, which side you sit on is relevant. Mountain side, on the right hand, gives views of the mountain and rice fields. The sea side, to the left, offers views of the ocean. The mountain side is my favorite and this is the side the private, accessible compartment is at. For more on the accessibility of rail, including information on seating arrangements,
A privilege only available to foreign visitors is the JR rail pass and you are well advised to order one if you plan to do a lot of long-distance travel. Here’s more on the pass.
Waiting at Tokyo Station and on the bullet train, you realize the importance of boxed lunches/meals (bento). They are carefully wrapped with cords and vary from the elaborate (and high end) to the simple. Many stations offer region-specific bento filled with fresh seafood and vegetables. Train station bento are an experience in itself.
Ekiben are quintessential part of the Japanese train-riding experience. It is also uniquely Japanese (*my argument against high-speed rail in California–apart from the outsized investment in high-speed rail and simultaneously poor funding of local rail and buses in heavy use by everyday workers) is that bullet trains (and trains in general) are not an important part of the state’s experience or culture). I have not had an ekiben myself but I enjoy looking at passengers unwrap their boxes and enjoying their lunches as the scenery streams by. Ekiben are beautiful to look at and most are filled with healthy, compartmentalized rice balls, seafood, and vegetables (including pickled radishes, ume and other Japanese favorites).
Big-I International Communication Center for Persons with Disabilities
Big-I (Big-i) International Communication Center for Persons with Disabilities is in Osaka’s Sakai City. While Osaka is more known for its lively commercial and entertainment centers, Sakai City is where you’ll find a collection of kofuns (megalithic tombs) called Mozu Tombs; the largest is key-hole shaped and belongs to Emperor Nintoku (or Ohosazaki no Sumeramikoto).
Big-I is a large facility with a focus on international, arts, and cultural exchanges. It emphasizes universal access and its 1500-seat multi-purpose hall, meeting spaces, and lodging are open to persons with and without disabilities.
Room reservations can be made online on their website. Note: Big I’s website is available in English but to make reservations, you will need to jump to the website’s Japanese; it includes a calendar that indicates the dates in which rooms are available. This calendar can be found here: 国際障害者交流センター(ビッグ・アイ) | 日付から選ぶ (489ban.net) Lodging fees are very modest; it is 4800 and 6000 yen for people with disabilities and without, respectively. Bookings, however, are sometimes difficult as Big I appears to be on the radar of foreign tourists and it’s no surprise why.
Big I’s specific location is unique as it is directly connected (by covered walkway) to Izumigaoka Station. A children’s science museum (Big Bang), a large pond/lake, grassy knoll, a covered shopping alley and mid-size shopping complex are within a one to three-minute walk of Big-I.
Access and Accessibility
Sakai City is in southern Osaka (where you’ll find Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori and other popular Osaka entertainment spots) and getting there will likely take a few transfers. My trips started at Shugakuin Station and Demachiyanagi Station is where I started my trip from Kyoto to Osaka. The trip takes approximately two hours and 20 minutes and required three transfers. It was a complicated trip with difficult-to-remember names (the last leg of the trip is on the Sembokukosoku Line from Nakamozu to Izumigoka Station). However, the cross-prefectural train ride is a very special one on the Keihan double decker train with a fancy, old-fashioned interior,
The area in the immediate vicinity of Big-I is noticeably flat and easy to navigate (both physically and intellectually). There’s a lot of wayfinding signage, including one that directs you from the station to Big-I. There’s a civic emphasis that makes the area easy to access and use.
Big I used to have a video taking you from Izumigaoka Station to its facilities and these notes are based off of it.
Neighborhood
Shinsekai is also in southern Osaka and is a simple train ride (30 min.) away:
Buildings and Rooms
Where to Eat
Osaka Sports Center for the Disabled (also known as Amity Maishima)
Osaka has two sports centers for the disabled, one in the south (Sumiyoshi Ward) and the other in the west (Konohana Ward). The sports center in Konohana Ward offers lodging (for people with and without disabilities) and like the other sports centers, has many athletic facilities but here, they are for use on a daily and special events basis. This center is open seven days a week and its lodging facilities are operated more similarly as a hotel than its Tokyo counterparts. It has a sizeable laundry room, onsen-style bathing room, among other amenities. There is a lobby used exclusively for and servicing overnight guests.
I was sitting in the lobby when I caught sight of a cockroach just hanging out on top of a sofa. I just sat there looking at it because it was in such a conspicuous space (against an orange or gray sofa) and noone (even the reception staff) seemed to take notice. I point this out because in my early trips to Japan, I quickly found out that Japanese do not flip out over cockroaches in the way that others do.
Fees are modest at 4000 yen (for persons with disabilities and caregivers) and 6500 yen (persons without disabilities). A trip from Demachiyanagi Station (Kyoto) to Sakurajima Station (Osaka) takes one hour and 20 minutes and was a relatively easy trip that involved two transfers (three if counting my starting point at Shugakuin).
Its location on Maishima Island (a manmade island) is an interesting, if not strange one. Once at Sakurajima Station, you can take a sports center bus across the Konohana Bridge to the sports center. The immediate vicinity of the sports center has a strange-looking incineration and recycling plant and with the brutalist structures, the first impression is that of alarm (not particularly negative but what is this place?). But once you get off the bus and look around, it’s easy to recognize why Maishima Island is a place for outdoors recreation and athletics. The walk around takes you to many green spaces, including a hill covered in wild grasses (a sight that I had never seen). Interestingly, J-League’s Cerezo Osaka team trained on one of Maishima Island’s fields and you can hear them practicing into the night. (Note: I am not certain if they still practice at Maishima).
Rooms are well-maintained and overlook the Osaka Bay. One issue, however, was that the curtain string was out of reach so the curtains were kept open at all times. This did not seem like a big deal until one day, I was on the bridge and could see straight into the lit rooms (I strategically stayed in specific section afterward). I had to stay at this sports center almost every week (for a few nights) and I always looked forward to making the trip.
Access and Accessibility
Neighborhood
Buildings and Rooms
Where to eat
The sports center has a restaurant on-site. Its food is so-so and I had either ramen or udon that was unremarkable in taste and appearance. But its appeal is in the wall-to-wall windows that looks out at an ordinary scene of trees, including cherry blossoms. There were a lot of people coming and going, in groups mostly.
When staying at this sports center, I mostly made trips to the nearby Lawson, one of many convenience store franchises in Japan. Konbinis are ubiquitous in Japan and you’ll be hard-pressed to find streets without one.
Konbinis are a version of American convenience stores but that’s where the similarity ends. They offer a wide selection of meals, both “healthy” and unhealthy, and bento (boxed lunches) of every kind. The selection of drinks, including canned chuhai (shochu spirits), is a source of wonderment.
They are also well-stocked on everyday essentials like underwear and socks. Lawson and Family Mart (Japanese-owned) are my favorites of the many konbini franchises. Foods are “healthy”, as they include omusubi (rice balls), including ones that have a umeboshi (pickled Japanese plum), salmon roe, cod roe, or seasoned kombu (seaweed) core. However, these foods likely include a lot of preservatives and chemicals and I was advised to cut back on my konbini reliance. Before this warning, egu sando* (egg sandwich) was nearly every meal for days at a time.
As their name suggests, they are for convenience and taking the hassle out of eating. Still, there’s a bit of joy in finding a spot to sit and enjoy your konbini-bought foods and drinks. Accessibility is also a highlight and electronic doors are the standard for big city konbinis.
*addendum: Everybody’s Tokyo has no discerning palate but an article states Anthony Bourdain liked these konbini egu sando so it comes with recommendation from the best.
Toyoko Inn (in Chuo Ward, Osaka Prefecture)
Wills Aichi (Aichi Women’s Center)
Wills Aichi (Aichi Women’s Center) is a great option in Aichi Prefecture’s Higashi Ward. Notably, this section of Nagoya is a lesser known bombing target during the war. Wills Aichi’s neighborhood includes civic buildings (Nagoya City Hall and Nagoya City Archives) and specifically around Wills Aichi, an eclectic row of businesses operating out of old, wooden structures. At first glance, Wills Aichi is pretty striking in its size; large for its big library, multiple studios, multi-purpose hall, study rooms, accommodations, and counseling services. The emphasis is on proving support for women and here, that means women can talk to professionals about a range of women’s concerns but also use cooking, arts and crafts, and sound studios (with audio-visual equipment. Women are not the only presence as locals come to study and attend seminars/events. The days I was there, it was busy with students and professionals.
Rooms are western- and Japanese-style. No matter how common rooms in the latter-style are, it’s still a welcome surprise to see that rooms of this type are offered at many of the public-serving accommodations. Typically, they include furnishings like floor chairs, low-lying wooden tables and futons (bedding that gets stored away in the daytime). Architectural features include tatami flooring (that gives off a distinct straw smell), an alcove, and in the case of Tama Sports Center (in western Tokyo), an elevated wood flooring. These rooms are not unlike those in ryokans (traditional inns) and if able, these are recommended over their western counterpart. Room rates vary by twin/single, western/Japanese and by number of persons. To get an idea of these differences, here are some of the specifics:
Twin (western): 4900 yen (one person) and 3900 yen (two person)
Single (western): 4500 yen
Japanese: 4200 yen (one person) and 3000 yen (four person)
Access and Accessibility
Neighborhood
Different views of the same street
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Insects, songbirds and the usefulness of messy garden spaces: 1A talks about the birds and the bugs | WAMU
Gardens are more commonly expected to uphold certain aesthetic standards but messy green patches can also have value in terms of their aesthetics but more importantly, in terms of their environmental usefulness.
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Buildings and Rooms
Ehime Prefecture
I have never been to Ehime Prefecture nor have I been to this specific lodging (Shoraku Ryokan) but this little video encapsulates a lot of features I’m drawn to when staying in Japan. I have a preference for lodging (and places in general) that’s a little weathered but well cared for and reflect a certain thoughtfulness. This little ryokan (Shoraku Ryokan Reviews: 43 Verified Reviews | Trip.com) is owned and run by Masuda san, its cat-loving proprietor and cheap overnight rates (3000 yen/$19.00 per night) indicate bareboned amenities but I find that sometimes such places steal your heart. In the wintertime, a big kotatsu is set out in the common area and appears to be a hit with the cats. (A lot about this place–its owner, guests, amenities, and surrounding businesses–reminds me of the TMSC). (On the basis of its amenities, this ryokan is not for everyone but some travellers might find it worth checking out.) Ehime Prefecture is part of Shikoku Island, a little corner of Japan where you can find unspoiled nature. I’ve always wanted to visit but hesitation about getting too far from the city kept me from going. Shikoku, specifically its Shimonada Station, served as inspiration for Spirited Away.
Accessible Japan’s website is referenced here but I’m finding that this resource (Japan Accessible Tourism Center / sleep) is more useful in finding accommodations across Japan’s prefectures. For some reason, this website doesn’t show up easily in online searches.