Traveling on Crutches in Japan

Plan to in be in Japan for about two weeks. Leaving in a few days. Problem is I sprained my foot pretty badly today, and have to be on crutches for at least a few weeks. Canceling my trip at this point would cost me roughly $1000, so I'd rather not cancel. Was wondering if traveling in Japan with crutches will be a major problem (e.g. subways, buses, access to most buildings, etc.). Here's my rough itinerary:

Tokyo
Nikko/Kamakura
Hakone
Hiroshima/Miyajima
Kyoto
Nara
Osaka

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'd say it could be a huge problem, as the only way to see Japan is by walking. Even if you take taxis or tour buses there is still a long way to walk, often up hills (Kyoto) and steps (temples,shrines,museums everywhere). Trains and subways don't necessarily leave you right at the destination. Within a station (eg Tokyo, Shinagawa, Kyoto, Osaka) there can be very long walks from platform to platform, or from platform to exits, THEN you need to get to where you are going.
I really don't want to rain on your parade, but if you have to be on crutches, I'd seriously reconsider.
Japan is also not overly wheelchair friendly, if that's in your thoughts.
However, others may have other ideas..don't rely on me alone.
Sorry.

It seems to me it will be frustrating and inconvenient to be trekking around Japan on crutches...but equally it will be frustrating and inconvenient to cancel your trip and lose loads of money.

I wouldn't cancel my trip if I were you, but I would change my itinerary. One major problem you will have is that it's going to take you twice as long to get from point A to point B. So, I recommend going to fewer places. Spend more time in one place so you can go sightseeing at a more leisurely pace. Maybe do Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima and leave out the side trips. I imagine Kyoto will be the most problematic, but not impossible if you give yourself more time there. You don't want to be pressed to get a lot done in one day.

Doable but as the above poster says, just take out a few places as it will take longer to move around. I would recommend Tokyo and Hiroshima as must-see places (although Tokyo is pretty much just a big city but exciting for first timers), and perhaps squeeze in a few days in Kyoto if you can. I think you could drop off Hakone and Nikko and Kamakura too. But it just depends what you prefer to see. But don't cancel your whole trip. You can still have a good time even with less places.

I think Kyoto will be OK if you are on crutches. The bus & taxi service there is really good - can get you very close to your destinations. Taxis are quite cheap & very plentiful in Kyoto. Do a bit of research or ask here about suitable places where there are fewer steps....take your time & enjoy.

Almost all stations (not sure about subway) have escalators, elevators and stairs.....someties you just need to look for them!

It won't be fun.

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I appreciate all the honest feedback and support. My modified itinerary would then look something like this:

-Tokyo
-Hakone (undecided, but booked ryokan awhile ago)
-Hiroshima/Miyajima (undecided)
-Kyoto
-Osaka (flying out from here)

Any specific thoughts/advice on the destinations above for someone on crutches? I'll be traveling with a partner, so will have some help. Also, I have stairs at home, so I'm already hobbling up and down stairs on a daily basis. I'm not big on shrines & temples, and only need to see a couple. My main concerns are access to trains, subways, & buses, as well as roads that may be challenging for someone on crutches (e.g. cobblestones, steep hills, slippery streets, etc.). I know it's going to be a pain in the butt, but I can't be the only one in Japan who's ever had to get around with an injured foot, right? Both my gf and I are pretty bummed about the whole thing, but trying to make the best of the situation. However, if we're going to be downright miserable the whole time, we may have to just suck it up and lose the deposit money.

Japan is a country of hills, mountains, and a lot of stairs and walking. You might find elevators or escalators at some places but mostly stairs. I took my parents and they have minor issues walking up stairs. After the first couple of days my father bought a cane and they both were in pain and very tired. I'm afraid you won't enjoy your trip on crutches. The set up there isn't for handicapped people.

It will be very hard but you can manage..you just will have to make a choice at the last minute about what to see and do. Been there will already be so exciting..
At the very least do what my travelling buddy and I did when he had to cancel a trip the day before..I went to Japan by myself..and no I don't speak Japanese. (but I am originally from Europe so using trains and subways in Japan was easy as it was all familiar to me). . .Hopefully your girl friend planned the trip along with you..so she should be able to do it on her own.

If you talk to your Dr. they should be able to get you something called a walking cast. They're big and heavy at first, but after a few days on it you'll hardly notice that it's there. I had to have one at one point and it helped a lot. It of course will slow you down some, but definitely not as much as crutches would do. Good Luck with your trip!!

In Nov of '07 on my first day in Japan I fell and broke my foot. I went home two days later as I was on my own and was planning a busy trip with a JR pass so having to stay off my foot was not an option.

In your case imo it really depends how good you are on crutches...if you are strong enough to be on them and navigate around, you'll be all right if you go a bit slower than you planned. And you have someone with you.

Too bad you didn't get trip insurance - I was able to collect on my policy.

I sincerely hope it works out for you....

PS - I don't know what deposits you have put down but the airlines usually let you cancel without a penalty with a doctor's note - at least in the US. Also I found that most Japanese hotels allow you to cancel up to 24 hours of your arrival....You can also get back most of what you spent on an unused JR pass....

You are on crutches, not in a wheelchair, so even if there are stairs you will be able to manage them. Your only worry imo is getting tired and getting a sore 'walking leg' (and underarms depending on what type of crutches you get).

I think you will be fine as long as you are flexible with your itinerary so that if you get tired then just skip some things for the rest of the day or take a break and sit down for a rest for a while.

I would still be going if I were you, it is annoying that you're on crutches but not the end of the world.

Have a great trip :)

Having spent months on crutches several times (broken leg at different times), I see your only problem is to carry your luggage. If you can somehow get all your stuff into one rolling suitcase so that your gf can pull it, you might learn to adapt.

To use the crutches, remove the padded rubber from the top, and put some padding on the hand grip. Lock your elbows and don't put any weight onto your underarms, but all on your hands. If you do this, you won't get chafed under your arms and your arms won't go to sleep. You can actually move faster with crutches and go up and down stairs faster also, skipping steps in both directions. You just can't carry anything except a daypack. The use of bicycle gloves helps the weight on your hands.

You might try some of the luggage forwarding services to send most of your stuff ahead to your next hotel. It's common practice in Japan and doesn't cost as in the US.

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+4...

Thanks for everyone's support. Crutches or not, Japan is too good to pass up. Will just have to visit again without them-- I'll just appreciate it even more the 2nd time around.

So here's the new itinerary:
-Tokyo
-Hiroshima/Miyajima
-Kyoto
-Osaka

Question: Was looking up train schedules on Hyperdia and saw there were direct trains for Tokyo-Hiroshima & Hiroshima-Kyoto, but only on Nozomis. All Hikari trains (that I saw) require transfers. I know Nozomi trains are no good with a JR Pass. Being on crutches, you guys think I should be able to work with transforming platforms (on time), or should I forgo a JR Pass & pay as I go? Would it be worth spending the extra money to avoid transferring trains? Altogether, it would cost about $100 more if I don't use a JR Pass. Without the JR Pass, I'd have to pay for all tickets separately, including local rides.

And if there are direct Hikari trains, and I'm just not seeing them, please let me know. Thanks again.

It seems you have to transfer at Shin-Osaka on both trips. Just book trains with a large enough ammount of time between them so that you feel comfortable finding the next platform and it won't be a problem. Definitely worth getting the JR pass in exchange for changing trains at Shin-Osaka.

I think your itinerary looks better now and will still give you a very good look at Japan. As long as your gf understands that you will need help and is open minded in that your plans may have to slightly change, you should be fine.
As for changing trains in Osaka, if you leave yourself 10 minutes, you will be fine. If you want to feel more at ease, leave yourself 20 minutes.
Perhaps start putting the trip into further details with your gf so that she knows exactly what's going on and can take the lead so you don't have to worry too much.