Of friendships, opportunities and adventures

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The Senso-ji, the oldest temple in Tokyo, can easily be explored by wheelchair users.

The Senso-ji, the oldest temple in Tokyo, can easily be explored by wheelchair users.

THE temperature is freezing cold outside as my wife Wuan and I are winding down in the cosy comfort of our hotel room. It has been an extremely long day. As I slowly sip on a mug of piping hot Milo for some extra warmth, I cannot remember a time when it tasted so delicious and soothing.

We are currently in Japan. Our flight touched down early Friday morning. My buttocks and back are still aching from being immobile and having to sit upright during the seven-hour flight and many more hours after that. Not being able to move around in the cabin made me feel vulnerable. It was therefore a great relief when I saw my wheelchair waiting for me outside the aircraft.

I am here at the invitation of the National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities (NRCD) Japan to speak at an international seminar on support for disabled people. The NRCD is an established and well-respected organisation providing a comprehensive range of rehabilitation services on top of research and development in this field, and training of rehabilitation professionals.

An escort specially arranged by the NRCD greeted us at the airport arrival hall to take us to the hotel. We took the slower commuter train to get into central Tokyo to avoid having to change trains which could be inconvenient, according to our escort. We accepted his suggestion after which he guided us around the maze of the station to catch the train.

Although it was slower and made many stops on the way during the morning rush hour, we did not mind as the sights along the way were interesting. It slowly changed from rural and rustic to modern metropolitan during the one-and-a-half-hour ride, which also gave us a glimpse of how Japanese workers commute every day.

There is one unique point I want to highlight about taking trains for wheelchair users in Japan. The trains and the platforms are not of the same height. If we inform the station master of the need for assistance in cases like this, he will come with a portable ramp to help us into the train.

At the same time, he will also inform the station master of our destination station who will then be there waiting for us with another portable ramp. And they are all very polite and courteous to boot. I experienced this 10 years ago and I am happy to note the standard of service is still as professional now as it was then.

“February is the coldest month in Tokyo,” Dr Kenji Kuno told me when he heard we were coming. “I can prepare some warm clothes so you can enjoy the winter.”

I know how frigid it can get. My hands suffered some minor frostbite the last time I was here, which incidentally was also right smack in the middle of winter. I had only removed my gloves momentarily to use the camera. By the time I put them back on, I could no longer feel both hands.

Dr Kuno is my mentor on disability. My involvement in this field is also because of the many opportunities he gave to me in the past 10 years to learn about Independent Living and Disability Equality Training through the collaborative projects between the Department of Welfare Malaysia and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

With the painful experience of frostbite in mind and on Dr Kuno’s advice, Wuan and I came fully prepared, or so we thought. A blast of chilly air penetrated right to our bones as soon as we got out from the train station. I saw Wuan shiver in the cold. I was no better even though I was all wrapped up from head to toe.

The hotel is just a short distance from the train station. I pushed myself. Wuan and the escort had their hands full towing a suitcase each. This is an example of the accessibility in Japan. Although not perfect, the majority of public places are friendly to wheelchair users and people with vision impairments, which afforded us a good degree of independence and mobility.

Since it was too early to check in, we left our luggage at the hotel and boarded a train to Asakusa to visit the postcard-famous Kaminarimon with its gigantic red lantern, and the Senso-ji, which is the oldest temple in Tokyo. I was amazed at how seamless the entire journey was and how the sprawling historic site was so easy for wheelchair users to explore.

The highlight of the day was not the gallivanting around Asakusa but the dinner appointment with Dr Kuno. He had booked a restaurant just a stone’s throw away from the hotel for us to enjoy some authentic and delicious Japanese cuisine which may be difficult, if not impossible, to find back home.

Needless to say, Wuan and I thoroughly enjoyed the food and the great company. That was also our first time drinking warm sake, when he insisted we must try it. I must confess I quite like how it tasted, especially on a cold night like this. Thanks to him, our tummies and appetites were fully satiated. Before we parted, he offered to take us around Shinjuku on Sunday to which we eagerly agreed.

Other than speaking at the NRCD seminar, I am also slated to make another presentation on the preparation to establish Independent Living Centres in Malaysia tomorrow. This second event is organised by Shoji Nakanishi. He established the first Independent Living Centre in Japan In 1986. Together with Dr Kuno, he has been providing support and resources to help Malaysia establish Independent Living Centres since 2005.

By the looks of it, this is going to be a productive and fruitful trip. I am sure I will learn a lot from both events which I plan to put to good use when I return to Malaysia. We need all the help we can get in developing better support services and facilities for disabled people back home. I am thankful for friends in Japan who have so willingly and unconditionally provided us with the assistance to accomplish this.