Enveloped by the magnificent nature of Mt. Mihara

Oshima Hot Spa Hotel is located on the mountainside of Mt. Mihara on Izu Oshima Island, which is known for Mt. Mihara, camellia, and Anko-san, and can be reached in as little as 1 hr. and 45 min. by high-speed jetfoil from Takeshiba Passenger Ship Terminal in Tokyo. It serves as the start and end point of the “onsen hotel route” for Mt. Mihara mountaintop trekking, and has become a popular hotel for many mountain climbers who enjoy Izu Oshima Geopark. Hotel guests can appreciate natural hot spring baths with views of magnificent Mt. Mihara’s central cone and traces of lava flows, and a vista of Mt. Fuji visible in the distance beyond Sagami Bay.

The hotel utilized the Subsidy to Support Barrier-free Accommodations provided by the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau to make endeavors toward eliminating barriers with the hope that elderly guests, who have increased in number year by year, can enjoy their stay on Oshima with as much peace of mind as possible. It reopened after renovations in March 2023. Mr. Tetsuya Yamakawa, manager of Oshima Hot Spa Hotel and representative director of Toki Kanko Co., Ltd., spoke about these efforts.

Making efforts so that older guests can enjoy the attractions of Izu Oshima with peace of mind

Originally, there were 7 steps to the guest room floor from the entrance floor, where the front desk and dining area are located. It was a very difficult lodging facility to stay in for persons using wheelchairs. Stairs provide the only access to the large hot spring baths on the basement floor. Understanding that state made it difficult to welcome older guests who visit the island to delight in the nature and hot springs of Oshima, we considered making the hotel barrier free and were encouraged to utilize the subsidy from Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The facility renovations were carried out according to a systematic plan. In the first year, the entrance steps were eliminated using a ramp and handrails put in place. Then, a stairlift was installed next to the stairs leading to the guest room floor from the lobby floor. It is operated by staff when needed. In addition, handrails were placed on both sides of the hallway to enable persons with disabilities to feel secure using the hallway.

A guest room that had been a Japanese-style room was fully renovated into spacious 39 m2, barrier-free Western-style room that is user-friendly for persons in wheelchairs. Taking advice of consultants from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, we purchased 2 electric adjustable beds that make it easier to get up and feature adjustable height to suit the circumstances of the disability, which facilitates getting in and out of bed. There are upper and lower bars for hangers in the closet placed at heights that wheelchair users can reach. In addition, we also eliminated steps in spaces used by all guests.

The circumstance of being located in a national/quasi-national park special area

This barrier-free renovation led to being certified as a “Barrier-free Mindset Tourism Facility” by the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA). However, the barrier-free renovations are not yet complete. The large baths, a hotel highlight offering a view of Mt. Mihara, are situated in the basement and accessible only by stairs, which makes it difficult for persons in wheelchairs to use. Unfortunately, the rooftop Mt. Mihara terrace, which offers views of both Mt. Mihara and Mt. Fuji on clear days, can only be reached by stairs and is therefore inaccessible by wheelchair.

Initial renovation plans considered installing an elevator connecting the basement where the large baths are to the roof, but since the building is located in a national/quasi-national park special area, the construction authorization criteria is stringent and work on the building frame can’t be carried out. Installing an elevator requires either creating space through construction inside or adding it to the outside of the building. We were unable to pass the authorization criteria for either and could not install an elevator during this renovation. However, by eliminating the stairs with a stairlift as a first step, we succeeded in removing the barrier from the lobby floor to the guest room floor without touching the building frame.

A desire for everyone to be able to enjoy the large baths and rooftop terrace

We want our guests who use wheelchairs to also be able to leisurely enjoy the large baths on the basement floor, and view Mt. Fuji and the close-up majestic figure of Mt. Mihara from the Mt. Mihara terrace on the roof. To make that happen, our staff lend a hand to guide our guests to the basement floor and rooftop since we feel it is unfortunate that guests are unable to enjoy the hot spring water in the guest room bathtub or the magnificent view. However, guests don’t seem to want to go so far as to trouble the staff.

We are still considering installing an elevator and are trying this and that to make it happen within the established authorization criteria for construction without touching the building frame. We will continue making barrier-free endeavors so that one day everyone can freely move from the large baths on the basement floor to the Mt. Mihara terrace on the roof.