New release: Tokyo’s 25 Best Temples and Shrines

TOKYO, Japan - Jan. 4, 2016 - PRLog -- The Japanese are a people in love with luck. New ventures, new houses, new babies must be blessed at just the right shrine or temple if they are to get off to an auspicious start. Diving into the popular culture is what takes a trip to Japan from tour-book ordinary to extraordinary. This book introduces the best of Tokyo's temples and shrines based not only on their stories, secrets, and beauty, but grouped together exactly the way the Japanese would look at them: those for luck in love, business, happiness, and health.

Written in a fun, lively style, the guide takes something very seriously, and that is access for everyone.

Tokyo is hosting the 2020 Paralympics, but wheelchairs still encounter problems with access in this country. Various government ministries are working to make Tokyo as barrier-free as possible. Many temples and shrines still have a long way to go.

Every entry in this handy e-guidebook includes detailed information on how to reach the shrines and temples by public transportation, the closest exit out of the station, and step-by-step directions from there. What sets Tokyo’s 25 Best Shrines and Temples apart is that mobility-impaired and handicap access is covered honestly for each shrine and temple and the nearest station.

Shrines and temples are often not wheelchair friendly. Most altars sit at the top of a set of stairs making it difficult for those who are mobility impaired to enjoy the full experience. Quite a few have installed ramps for universal access. Some have not.

Visitors with special needs (and those with small children in strollers!) can use Tokyo’s 25 Best Temples and Shrines as a guide to which temples and shrines they can put on their must-see list.

For example, Asakusa Sensoji and its iconic red lanterns are accessible to everyone. The temple recently installed a small elevator that lifts mobility-impaired visitors right to the top of the platform for the main altar. Even their bathrooms are wheelchair accessible.

Tokyo’s 25 Best Temples and Shrines is currently available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019OJ63B2?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

About the author: Gail Nakada is an American journalist based in Japan. She specializes in business, technology, Japanese pop culture, and travel. Her work has appeared in many publications and media including Wired, Business 2.0, CBS Marketwatch, CNN, and Huffington Post. See more at http://www.gailnakada.com. Gail is also a bestselling novelist and publishes supernatural thrillers under the pen name, Eden Crowne. Visit her at http://www.edencrowne.com.