All the recent talk about overtourism in Japan may be causing angst among the country's foreign residents and may even dissuade people from visiting. First, don't despair. There is still plenty to see and do in Japan, especially if you venture off the beaten path. Today, Real Gaijin spoke with someone with deep connections to Japan who loves to travel across the country on foot!

Oh, and, by the way, he has been legally blind since age 18.

Meet Tony R. Vega, a Hawaii-based content creator, adventurer, and advocate for the visually impaired community.

Key Takeaways

* Overcoming the Challenges of Being Visually Impaired: Tony’s motto is, "I may be legally blind, but that doesn't stop me." It's an apt motto, as no challenge related to his eyesight seems too great for Tony. As a prolific podcaster, he has found his niche by blending his love of Japan and related interests (e.g., anime) with his desire to advocate for the visually impaired by demonstrating what is possible.

* Blind Japan Project: Over the past two years, Tony has completed two long walks along historical "highways" in Japan, including the Tōkaidō Road from Kyoto to Tokyo and the Sanyōdo Road in the Chūgoku region. Beginning at the end of September 2025, Tony will embark on his most ambitious walk yet: a 500-km journey from where he left off in Iwakuni to Kagoshima in southern Kyushu. He is doing this to raise awareness for the visually impaired community and for fun. Follow Tony on Instagram and X to keep track of his progress (links listed below).

* All Aboard! While traveling across Japan, Tony often meets friendly people eager to assist him, which is not surprising. One might think such a journey would be difficult, but Tony explains that, unlike America's car-centric nature, Japan's pedestrian-friendly transportation options make it relatively easy to get around the country, even with a visual impairment. It turns out that Japan’s extensive train network is actually liberating for blind people. During his long walks, Tony uses various hubs near train stations to implement his travel plans. Don’t be surprised if you hear that at some point in the future Tony is leading a tour group of blind visitors across the country by train and on foot.

* What’s in a Name? It’s “Tony R. Vega,” not just “Tony Vega.” To find him online and not get lost among the thousands of references to the popular singer with the same first and last names, be sure to search for "Tony R. Vega." While we joked about this problem, seriously, check out all of Tony’s rich online content.

Timeline

Substack does not yet have the functionality to allow you to use a link to jump to a specific section like YouTube's "chapters." Please refer to the times listed below to navigate through our hour-long conversation. Thank you for your understanding.

Key Contacts

General Website: https://tonyrvega.com/

JapanKyo.com: https://japankyo.com/

Japan Station Podcast: https://japankyo.com/category/podcasts/japanstation/

The Anime Linguist: https://www.youtube.com/@theanimelinguist

Blind Japan Project: https://tonyrvega.com/blind-travel/

Majison: https://x.com/majisonchan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyrvega/ (@tonyrvega)

X: https://x.com/TheVegaTony (@TheVegaTony)

#TonyRVega #HawaiiJapan #JapanKyo #JapanStation #BlindJapanProject #WalkingJapanBlind #LegallyBlindAdventurer #MAJISON #RealGaijin #トニーRヴェガ #ハワイ日本 #法定盲目 #マネー爆弾 #ポッドキャストNFTニッポン #ラブイズブラインド #外人 #外国人 #リアル外人 #視覚障害者

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