Hikone Castle tests wearable suits for mountain palanquins
Hikone City staff and volunteers tested wearable assist suits on October 19 to carry wheelchair users up the 140 steep stone steps of Hikone Castle using a traditional wooden mountain palanquin. The trial addresses a modern accessibility dilemma at the 17th-century fortification, which stands as a National Special Historic Site along the eastern shores of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture and is a candidate for UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status in 2028.
Steep stone steps create modern accessibility challenges
Reaching the castle’s main enclosure requires navigating 140 steep, irregular stone steps originally built to exhaust invading samurai. The trek covers a 285-meter round-trip with a 50-meter vertical rise and an average 18-percent incline. Pouring concrete ramps over the historical masonry remains unviable, forcing city officials to explore alternative methods for visitors with mobility impairments.
Assist suits lighten the physical load for carriers
Six carriers took turns transporting passengers during the trial while wearing non-motorized wearable assist suits to reduce physical strain. Two participants wore the Muscle Suit Soft-Power Easy-Lift, while four equipped the Mediaid Firm Guard Waist EX Hard. Carriers reported that the gear provided lower-back security and kept the legs mobile without interfering with stair climbing, smoothing out the backward-tipping balance issues common when lifting palanquins.
Future heritage tourism possibilities in Japan
The trial combined historical interpretation with physical transport, allowing visitors to experience mountain travel similar to samurai-era nobility. City organizers plan to evaluate whether the technology can help bridge the gap between historic architecture and modern accessibility across other mountain temples and heritage sites throughout Japan.
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