Okinawa : a barrier-free dreamland

photo credit @mizumicah

Of all the places I have been looking at online with wheelchair access and barrier-free attractions, Okinawa seems to have the most to offer when it comes to seeing the sites. When I go on vacation, I like to experience as many new things as I can possibly cram into the always too short vacation time. This means over exhausting myself which can be a pretty bad idea. Being an island in the subtropics, it should be easy to find nice relaxing and interesting things to do in Okinawa while at the same time have fun, and I'm going to keep it centered around having access for people who happen to use wheelchairs to get around.

When you arrive in Okinawa, it might be a good idea to go to the Tourist Office for Seniors and People with Disabilities.

Located at Naha Airport (domestic) as well as on Kokusai Street (Kokusai Dori), stop by their offices whenever you need help finding almost anything you will need, from rental cars to wheel-chairs for the water to toilets for assistance dogs. They are also useful for parents with small children and can assist with finding nursing stations and also offer rental strollers. Their services could be essential in making your stay in Okinawa stress-free and relaxing.

The first place in Okinawa I would want to check out is the Ocean Expo Park, where Churaumi Aquarium is located.

I’m sure anyone could spend a full day here and still have areas remaining to been explored. Aside from the aquarium with its whale shark tank, the largest in the world when it was built, there is also a planetarium, a beach, arboretum (botanical gardens of trees), and even a rest house for when you are tired.

The next place I would want to check out is the beach. Okinawa is a subtropical island. It would be unthinkable to go and not want to check out the beach, enjoy the waves and maybe even get a little wet.

Okinawa has wheelchair accessible beaches. Ask for the best places to go to get in the water while at the tourist office and maybe you can rent the buggy chair boat from the above-mentioned tourist office for 5,000 yen (roughly $50) while you're at it.

Go out for a ride on the waves and get soaked!

If you aren’t wanting to get wet, but just want a gorgeous view, you could make your way out to Cape Manzamo where there is a paved path out onto the cliff.

And the last place I would absolutely want to go, just to keep with the trend from my previous posts about Okinawa, are the sugar cane fields. Just take a rental car out into the fields, or be touristy and go to the Kokutou factory to learn a bit about brown sugar and molasses.

If you want to take a look online for yourself at what Okinawa has to offer in terms of barrier-free access, then try using the Accessible Okinawa's search engine for more ideas on places to go, to eat, and to stay. It is in English and can show you places by region.

There are so many things to do in Okinawa and so much to see, all accessible without ever needing to put your two feet on the ground. Okinawa is like a dream come true, for everyone, even those who happen to need a bit more assistance to get out and have fun.