Views on handicapped tourists

Hello, I am an 18 y/o male the has recently graduated from high school and I am looking forward to my first trip to Japan. On that note, I am handicapped with cerebral palsy and am wheelchair bound. I have all the money and have read many books on Japanese customs and such. I have been looking forward to this trip for a very very long time, as I have never traveled outside America.
I am very excited and thrilled to go, and I know that the Japanese people are very easy going, polite people. However, I can't help but think in the back of my mind how they would react to my wheelchair. thanks much.

Can't comment directly, but you might want to check these videos out – Attitude Pictures in New Zealand had a programme following 3 young disabled Kiwis on their trip to Japan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY7UKcNKlIc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocEdHJgkVOQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR2iLeJItNE&feature=related

I think you'll be fine! Have a great trip!

Riding a wheelchair is not a problem.
Look for barrier free hotels/restaurants.
many shrines/temples have rock gravel paths and it may not be easy to wheel on. Many parks/tourist destinations have large clean wheel chair restrooms, i.e. Ueno Park in Tokyo.
http://accessible.jp.org/tokyo/en/useful/trans.html
In Kyoto, Cabik Taxi company specializes in wheel chair tourists.
http://www.barikan-kyoto.net/idou/taxi/cabik/index.htm
The info to contact. They even come to the airport. They have wheel chair trained drivers.
http://www.cabik.co.jp/sightseen/index.html
There are some places to keep in mind in Kyoto. This is the Kyoto trip blog from a mother with her wheel chair bound son.
http://4travel.jp/traveler/furatto-tyotto/album/10468138/
Kyoto Kokusai Hotel may be a place to go/stay(barrier free access & all the great food). Actually it is a good place to visit for anybody for free maiko dance/chat on every Fri/Sat evening.

please excuse my candid nature. when i arrived in japan the first time in 1993, disabled people were conspicuous by their absense. it seems that they were largely confined to their homes partly due to immobility and partly due to shame.

times have changed and i don't think either your cerebal palsy nor your wheel chair will be much of a head turner.

parts of tokyo are wheel chair friendly, some are not. some train stations have elevators some will require the station attendants to carry you down the stairs.

japan has an aging population so tourist places and even shopping centres have wheel chairs that you can borrow.

i think you will have a great time