Japan at My PaceAccessible Japan travel, one step at a time

Gear guide

Walking & rest

Support for stone steps, gravel shrine paths and long station transfers, plus a way to sit down when there is no bench.

Walking & rest

Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Fiber Quick Lock Trekking Poles

I walked the Kumano Kodo with trekking poles, and on the steep, root-covered climbs out of Takijiri they did a lot of the work my balance couldn't. This carbon pair is a widely sold, lightweight option with quick-lock adjustment; I haven't tested this specific model.

  • Carbon fiber shafts
  • Quick-lock (lever) length adjustment
  • Sold as a pair

Keep in mind: Practice adjusting them at home. On descents, lengthen them a little; on climbs, shorten them. Many shrines ask you to lift or stow poles inside halls, so carry a strap or bag.

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Walking & rest

Drive Medical Adjustable Folding Cane with Seat

Lines in Japan can be long: shrine stamp counters, ramen queues, bus stops in the countryside. A cane that opens into a small tripod seat means you can rest anywhere it is polite to stand.

  • Opens into a tripod seat
  • Seat height listed as 19 to 22 in, adjustable
  • Listed weight capacity: 250 lb
  • Aluminum frame, about 3 lb

Keep in mind: A tripod seat is a perch, not a chair. Practice sitting and standing with it before the trip, and skip it if getting up from a low seat is hard for you. Fold it on crowded trains.

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Walking & rest

Compeed Advanced Blister Care Pads, Mixed Sizes

Hydrocolloid pads cushion a hot spot before it turns into a blister. Worth having for any city day measured in tens of thousands of steps.

  • Hydrocolloid cushions
  • Mixed sizes

Keep in mind: Put one on at the first warm spot, not after the blister forms.

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Guides that use this gear

Kumano · Wakayama

Walking the Kumano Kodo after a stroke: what I packed and what I'd change

Demanding

Kyoto

Fushimi Inari at your own pace: stairs, rests, and turnaround points

Moderate

Hongu · Shingu · Nachi

Kumano Sanzan by train and bus: Hongu, Hayatama, Nachi and Katsuura

Moderate

Other shelves

Heat & coolingPacking lightPower & phoneCamera kitSleep & recoveryShopping & souvenirs