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Meet Accessibility Champion, Toyo

Caption: A photo of Local Guide @love_ikoma_toyo wearing sunglasses and a hat while holding a tripod with a camera on it. (Local Guide @love_ikoma_toyo)Caption: A photo of Local Guide @love_ikoma_toyo wearing sunglasses and a hat while holding a tripod with a camera on it. (Local Guide @love_ikoma_toyo)

Toyo Fujita (@Anonymous), a Local Guide from Yao, Osaka, Japan, is on a mission to help others get the accessibility information they need to get around.

 

On Connect, he’s shared tips on what to look for when taking accessibility photos and how to help people in wheelchairs find hiking trails. He’s also translated accessibility posts written in English to make them easier for Japanese Local Guides to understand.

 

We recently caught up with Toyo to learn more about his interest in accessibility. Below are his responses which have been lightly edited for clarity.

 

Why are you passionate about accessibility information being shown on Google Maps?
The accessibility information is very important not only for people with disabilities, but also for caregivers to the elderly and others who do nursing or care work. Also, if people can find the accessibility information easily on the Google Maps, it can motivate them to go to places and enjoy [themselves].

 

What have you done to help add accessibility information or generate visibility for accessibility information to/for Google Maps?
I publish and link 360 photos together using Street View and integrate information using My Maps. I also share the information on Connect and my blog. I’m trying to introduce the method of sharing such information to others. I received an email from a user who can enjoy outdoor activities because of the accessibility information I shared!

 

What area (mobility, vision, hearing, etc.) are you most interested in improving?
Mainly, I care about the following information: how to find the wheelchair access, availability of wheelchair-accessible parking, rest spots, multipurpose bathrooms, and whether a place has staff available in a case of emergency.

 

What's your favorite Google Maps feature?
I like the “List of Places” function.

 

What do you wish other Local Guides knew about accessibility?
The importance of multipurpose bathrooms. In Japan, we have a bathroom called “multipurpose bathroom.” It's a private bathroom that can be used for the physically handicapped, those in wheelchairs, those with children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with other injuries or illnesses.

 

What's one feature would you like to see on Google Maps?
I hope I can embed My Maps - so I can share information with more people.

 

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Toyo! Are you passionate about adding accessibility info on Google Maps? Share how you’ve made a positive impact in the comments below.  


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26 comments
Level 10

Re: Meet Accessibility Champion, Toyo

We love Toyo 🙂 Always supporting and kind 🙂 It's great to read about him and his work on accessibility! Thanks @TraciC!

@Anonymous

Connect Moderator

Re: Meet Accessibility Champion, Toyo

Thank you for this post @TraciC

@Anonymous is a great Local Guide, always helpful for the community, even outside of the Japanese area. I remember a translation of LocalGuidesCleanTheWorld project, for everyone to enjoy it.

High five to one of the best LG in the community, I am very happy that his great job is highlighted here.

Thank you both

 

Ermes

Connect Moderator

Re: Meet Accessibility Champion, Toyo

Congratulations to @Anonymous for your great contributions. Using virtual tours to improve accessibility in your community. It's encouraging to know that Japan has a "multipurpose bathrooms" for the conveniences of the differently enabled. 

 

Let's keep guiding and making the world accessible!

 

Xoxo

Emeka 

Port Harcourt, Nigeria 

Level 9

Re: Meet Accessibility Champion, Toyo

Thank you so much @TraciC for this post. It has been great to meet and learn from Toyo Fujita. 

@Anonymous you are truly @ championn! It is really amazing to know that you've explored so many things for sharing  the accessibility information.Your valuable insights will definitely help local guides like me.

The multipurpose bathroom as Toyo Fujita mentioned is something that we rarely heard of in Bangladesh. Even the priority toilets are very rare in public places like airports, shopping malls, railway stations, educational institutions, hospitals and public offices here. There are initiatives to gradually set up ramps, elevators, sliding doors with sensor, priority toilets etc in public places but these are still very less than required. Wheelchair accessible car parking is a huge issue here. But regardless of the differences, I think Toyo's insights on accessibility information can be guiding for us.     .

                  

Level 9

Re: Meet Accessibility Champion, Toyo

Wonderful post, Thank you @TraciC for sharing with us.

Very impressive post, very nice to know about @Anonymous

 

Level 9

Re: Meet Accessibility Champion, Toyo

Nice post  @TraciC.       @love_ikoma_toyo is an inspiring local guide ...

Level 7

Re: Meet Accessibility Champion, Toyo

応援します

Level 8

Re: Meet Accessibility Champion, Toyo

@Anonymous is a great contributor . Thanks @TraciC for share with us,  his post will inspire others. 

Level 9

Re: Meet Accessibility Champion, Toyo

Congratulations @Anonymous , keep up your good work with high spirits and thank you @TraciC for sharing this news with us. 

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