Wheelchair Accessible Beach

It’s hot and humid…or rather, it’s scorching hot every day. Although the weather is one in which we worry about the effects on the body, such as heatstroke, summer is all about the beach. However, for those who use wheelchairs, it may be a little difficult to go out. Unfortunately, it was cloudy with occasional rain, but at the request of a family visiting Japan from New York, we took them to Yuigahama Beach in Kamakura.

Yuigahama is a beach located a few kilometers from Kamakura Station that can be explored even by wheelchair users. Although it is inevitable that the beach will be crowded on summer weekends, spending time on the beach can refresh both body and mind. The biggest challenge for wheelchair users is the route down to the beach and moving around on the sand. Yuigahama has been designed with various considerations in mind for moving from the parking lot to the beach, and for moving around and staying on the beach.

First of all, the Yuigahama Underground Parking Lot can be accessed from both lanes of National Route 134. Naturally, the underground parking lot has a parking area for people with disabilities in front of the entrance to the waiting lobby. Please note that if your vehicle is equipped with a wheelchair lift on the rear gate, you will not be able to deploy the lift unless you park in a space without pillars.

Once you enter the waiting lobby, you will find a barrier-free restroom and a foot washing area, which are convenient for preparing to go to the beach as well as on your return. Then, take the elevator to the seaside park, and Yuigahama Beach is just across the intersection in front of the seaside park. There is no roof from the elevator building, but the path is flat.

Cross the crosswalk and go to the right to reach the Yuigahama Beach Slope. This slope allows both self-propelled and electric wheelchairs to access the beach. When you arrive at the beach, there is a barrier-free restroom, and mats and wooden boards are installed for moving around the beach.

As you can see in the last photo, if you go to the left after crossing the crosswalk, you will come to a slope for vehicles to transport items and materials to facilities on the beach. It is not impossible for wheelchair users to use this slope, but the slope is very steep, so it is dangerous for self-propelled wheelchairs, and even for motorized wheelchairs. It is a little far from the parking lot, but we recommend using the slope for everyone on other side.

Our guests, who live near the sea shore in New York, seem to cherish spending time at the beach. After a stroll around Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, they arrived at Yuigahama just before noon when it was drizzling, but after relaxing at a cafe for a while, the sun began to shine through the clouds, and the whole family enjoyed their time at Yuigahama.

In recent years, various beach-related activities have been taking place all over the country, and the number of places and products that allow wheelchair users to enjoy the sea and beach has increased. Check out the various information and enjoy the beach.

Following links are in Japanese only….
Suma Universal Beach Project
Beach Wheelchair “Beach Star”
Six Universal Beaches
Wheelchair walker Barrier-Free Beach