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The Yomiuri Shimbun A foreign visitor travels around the grounds of Katsuoji temple in Minoh, Osaka Prefecture, in a micromobility vehicle.
By Shodai Niki / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
11:52 JST, January 19, 2025
The Yomiuri Shimbun
MINOH, Osaka — “Micromobility,” also referred to as personal mobility, is gaining ground at tourist destinations. More and more municipalities and tourist facilities are introducing micromobility vehicles because of their convenience for traveling over short distances. There is also growing demand for “universal tourism” to ensure that people with disabilities can travel in comfort.
Micromobility vehicles are smaller and more maneuverable than cars. Similar to a bicycle, they can carry one or two people and are suitable for short-distance travel. Many of the vehicles run on a battery and electric motor so they emit no exhaust fumes, making them environmentally friendly.
In late November, three micromobility vehicles were made available at Katsuoji temple in Minoh, Osaka Prefecture. The temple is known for its good luck daruma dolls.
The vehicles were a particular type of electric wheelchair provided by the Tokyo-based startup Whill Inc. They can travel at a speed of 3-4 kph, move on slopes and traverse steps and bumps measuring about 5 centimeters high. A driver’s license is not required to operate the wheelchair.
The grounds of Katsuoji temple have a 46-meter difference in elevation, but ramps have been installed to minimize bumps and steps, making it suitable for traveling by vehicle of this type. The company offers them free of charge for visitors to comfortably move around the temple.
“I can travel smoothly and easily even on steep slopes and gravel roads,” said a 64-year-old tourist from Thailand who was using one such the wheelchair.
Conventional wheelchairs place a heavy burden not only on travelers but also on caregivers, especially when they need to be moved up rising slopes.
“The number of visitors to our temple has increased rapidly over the past few years, partly because of a recovery in foreign tourist numbers,” said Ryubun Kojima, deputy head priest of the temple. “We want to create an environment where everyone can move freely.”
The Yomiuri Shimbun A visitor views grounds of Katsuoji temple on a micromobility vehicle.
Whill, in cooperation with tourist centers and others, has also been introducing micromobility vehicles in the vicinity of the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine in Kyoto and Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, as well as the Kinosaki Onsen hot spring area in Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture, since autumn.
The introduction of electric kick scooters is another noticeable development. In Tokushima, a three-month experiment was conducted from September using LUUP, an electric kick scooter sharing service, for travel between local tourist sites.
On Okunoshima island in Takehara, Hiroshima Prefecture, there is a tour around the island on a three-wheeled, standing-type electric vehicle available. The island is known as “rabbit island,” as it is home to about 500 wild rabbits, which entertain visitors.
The Yomiuri Shimbun Clockwise from the far left: Micromobility vehicles are used around Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture; on Okunoshima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture; at the Kinosaki Onsen hot spring area in Hyogo Prefecture.
Small electric vehicles for tourism purposes have been rapidly rolled out in rural areas where public transportation networks are poorer compared to urban areas and it is difficult to travel between local tourist spots or to secure a means of transportation for the “last mile” — the final leg to a destination from its closest station.
In particular, public transportation in these areas is slow for the elderly and disabled, who have difficulty traveling even short distances. In recent years, tourist destinations around the world have been asked to focus on universal tourism.
To that end, the Japan Tourism Agency is strengthening its support measures. According to the agency, the domestic market for overnight trips by the elderly and disabled is ¥2.3246 trillion, accounting for 14% of the total travel market. By eliminating inconvenience for these groups, the market is expected to grow by about 30%, demonstrating a significant benefit in focusing on universal tourism.
“If more people can use micromobility vehicles and make the shift from buses, taxis and rental cars, it will help relieve congestion at tourist spots,” said Shuichi Kameyama, chief consultant at JTB Tourism Research & Consulting Co. “Ensuring safety will be an important issue.”
Temple filled with daruma
The Yomiuri Shimbun The grounds of Katsuoji temple are packed with daruma dolls.
Katsuoji temple, which was founded in 727, is well known as a lucky temple because its head priest in the 9th century successfully prayed for the then emperor’s recovery from an illness. It is known for its good luck daruma dolls, with its grounds populated by small and large donated dolls. It is about 20 minutes by bus from Kita-Osaka Kyuko Line Minoh-Kayano Station.
