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.















Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Fading Tokyo – Horikiri Station, the Arakawa River, and Kinpachi-sensei[Walking course]
Japanese city abolishes 88th birthday celebratory money gift because people are living longer
Akiba Dental Clinic: The Akihabara dentist where a moe maid in cosplay cleans your teeth
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Howl’s Moving Castle’s scene-stealing dog is here to clean your home as a plushie mop
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Fading Tokyo – Horikiri Station, the Arakawa River, and Kinpachi-sensei[Walking course]
Japanese city abolishes 88th birthday celebratory money gift because people are living longer
Akiba Dental Clinic: The Akihabara dentist where a moe maid in cosplay cleans your teeth
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Shocking blue cream-filled taiyaki cakes now available from Yokohama Kurikoan for a limited time!
Kyoto man arrested for selling super-sexy modified Love Live! anime figures
After 10 years of secrecy, anime song duo ClariS finally remove their masks and show their faces
Tokyo restaurant’s all-you-can-eat gyoza and all-you-can-drink beer starts at just 20 bucks
Drink vending machines disappearing in Japan as number drops to lowest in 30 years
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Bros? Kart? Party? Japanese gamers pick their top 5 Mario series
Chinese couple braves toxic smog for wedding photos, look like something out of a horror movie