disabilities
New Shojo Cafe Bar continues owners’ mission to “create environments where disabilities disappear.”
Inspired by a family member’s recent need for a wheelchair, our reporter tries to see Tokyo from their perspective.
No more settling for whatever clothes you can put on…now you can wear whatever clothes you like!
Exclusive drinkware is stylish and touching, and its companion journal is even more moving.
Hirotada Otatake was born with no arms or legs, but it didn’t keep him from trying to do good things in this world.
Sports are supposed to bring people together, giving a group a common goal to work towards and developing community spirit. Nevertheless, it can be difficult to find sports that everyone can enjoy, with many left out due to physical disabilities. However, the World Yuru Sports Association, which goes by Yuru Sports for short, has developed a game intended to level the playing field for everyone so people with and without disabilities get on the ground and play together.
And we mean get on the ground literally: the name of the game is caterpillar rugby and it’s incredibly accurate!
It was Saturday, October 3 when a hearing-impaired woman and her service dog, a hearing dog for the deaf, attended an event promoting the awareness of service dogs at the Hankyu department store at Hankyu-Umeda Station in Osaka. After the event, the unnamed woman, her dog, and a friend went for a bite to eat at one of the restaurants located inside the same department store on the same floor as the event. Ironically enough, and much to the surprise of the woman, a member of staff stopped her from entering the restaurant, stating that animals were not allowed inside.
The woman’s friend pulled out a guidebook about hearing dogs for the deaf, trying to explain that the dog wasn’t a pet but an animal trained to assist its owner. The staff still refused, however, and the pair finally gave up and went elsewhere, thinking that it must have just been an unfortunate misunderstanding. Perhaps this was just one uninformed staff member who didn’t realize service animals are actually allowed in public places, they thought.
But even at the next restaurant they were turned away yet again…
Back in 2012 when a bunch of 4chan members released a visual novel game based around romantically pursuing disabled high school girls, expectations were low to say the least. But to the shock of the internet, the game received widespread acclaim for its impressive visuals, story, and music, not to mention its sympathetic treatment of its characters.
However, despite being a game in a distinctly Japanese genre and taking place in a Japanese high school with Japanese characters, the game was originally written and released in English. It’s only now, three years later, that Katawa Shoujo (“Disabled Girls”) has finally been released in the language many people thought it was originally created in: Japanese.















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Japan has new rules for bicycle riders, and these 14 things could get you a fine or a court date
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Final Fantasy’s Yoshitaka Amano illustrates exclusive Japan-only Magic: The Gathering card
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