We Are Tomodachi Spring 2018

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33it’s not accessible.” Grisdale’s efforts have touched lives. For example, an Australian father and his daughter with cerebral palsy, bonded by their shared love of anime, decided to come to Japan because of the information on Accessible Japan.In daily life and on weekend excursions, Grisdale can observe Japan’s progress toward accessibility. After visiting Meiji Shrine, for example, he wrote in a review that the gravel paths were difficult for wheelchairs to navigate. He returned two months later to find that ramps and a pathway down the main route had already been added.Seeing everyone work together to make the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games accessible excites Grisdale, as does the aim of welcoming the highest ever number of participating countries and regions to the Tokyo Paralympics. Grisdale envisions Tokyo becoming a city that is open to everyone, and looks forward to seeing more buildings with entrance ramps, accessible platforms at stations, and an increased number and variety of accessible hotel rooms. With Japan a leader in robotics and barrier-free design in Asia, he feels confident that challenges will be overcome as Japan boosts efforts to make stations, airports and other facilities barrier-free by 2020. Grisdale seeks to do his part by providing up-to-date and deeper-level information on accessibility in English. He visits sites, searches websites, and makes calls so he can inform others with disabilities of the location of elevators and restrooms, the accessibility of tourist sites and restaurants, and other important details. He wants each disabled visitor to enjoy Japan in safety and comfort.Grisdale reflects, “Coming to Japan actually meant a lot of freedom for me. My dream now is that more and more people find Japan accessible and exhilarating as I have.” Towards that end, Grisdale and Accessible Japan are paving the way for other people to realize their dream of visiting Japan.Implementation of the Transportation Accessibility Improvement Law has resulted in 92.8% of train stations and 92.6% of city buses in Tokyo being equipped with step-eliminating devices as of March 2017.Chatting with his boss. Grisdale appreciates the at-home feeling of his workplace.Checking Meiji Shrine for accessibility. Grisdale visits sightseeing spots on weekends and posts reviews on Accessible Japan.Grisdale started Accessible Japan in 2015. The website has gained popularity with foreign travelers that need assistance. He also published a book, Accessible Japan's Tokyo, in 2017.