fav HIROSHIMA HEIWAODORI

Ms. Umino and her family, including her daughter Suika and her mother Yoko, stayed at fav HIROSHIMA HEIWAODORI, which is situated just 7 minutes drive from Hiroshima station. Behind the hotel, you will find Hacchobori and Nagarekawa, two of the most vibrant districts in the Chugoku region, making the hotel a perfect location for both sightseeing and business.

The hotel offers a total of 51 guest rooms, each spanning over 35 square meters, ensuring a comfortable stay even for the larger group trips.

On the first floor, the cafe and bar serve up coffee from Tokyo’s popular Shibuya-based “Coffee Supreme”, along with some Hiroshima craft beers and a selection of light snacks including sandwiches.

HERALBONY artworks can be found displayed in the Universal Rooms and the Twin-type rooms, giving these spaces a distinctive and creative touch.

Ms. Umino, her daughter Suika, and her mother Yoko have traveled together from Tokyo to stay at fav.

As mentioned earlier, Ms. Umino has been using a wheelchair since she developed a serious illness that left her with limited mobility. Since then, finding suitable hotels has become a challenge for her.

“Before becoming disabled, I didn’t realize how limited my options would become as a wheelchair user. I always have to check if there are any stairs at the hotel entrance prior to making a booking. Also, having an elevator at the facility is an absolute must.”

Traditional Japanese ryokan-style hotels are most certainly a challenge, and while business hotels may be fully equipped with elevators, the guest rooms are often too small to allow comfortable wheelchair access. Of course there are the luxury hotels, but unless it is for a special occasion they do feel a little excessive and I feel reluctant to opt for them.

Meanwhile at fav -

Almost all of its 12 locations nationwide (as of July 2024) are equipped with Universal Rooms, offering seamless accessibility from the entrance right up to the guest rooms and even the bathrooms within them. Each room is spacious, providing a stress-free relaxing environment for all.

Another great thing about the room we stayed in was the size of the bathroom. It was so spacious that I could just wheel myself inside, and take a bath without any help. There were other small but thoughtful details, like the chair inside the bath and the sliding doors for easy access. These little touches made me feel truly welcomed and appreciated.

But that’s not all that sets fav apart. To ensure that young children feel welcomed and entertained too, the hotel offers a variety of toys and card games as rental items. For those planning to stay longer, some rooms are equipped with kitchens and fully automated washing machines.

Whether you have a disability or not, whether you’re here for a long stay or a short trip, with family or on your own, whether you prefer relaxing indoors or staying active, fav is a welcoming home to everyone.

The newly launched "fav × HERALBONY" is a collaborative project between fav and creative company HERALBONY. The art pieces created by artists contracted with HERALBONY are displayed in the guest rooms, and a portion of the room rate is paid to the artists as compensation.

Ms. Umino, who also works at HERALBONY, shares her thoughts:

"The artists contracted with HERALBONY all have disabilities, but I believe their strength lies in the fact that they don’t concern themselves with societal evaluations. Most of them aren’t focused on selling their work or on how it fits with current trends, or even on how others perceive their art. In fact, many of them don’t even consider what they create to be 'art' in the conventional sense. They are simply following their own human desires for joy and comfort, which is why their work is so full of energy.

The rooms adorned with these artists' paintings and fabrics are called "HERALBONY Rooms." The room Ms. Umino stayed at is also among them, where the unique art pieces vividly transform the otherwise featureless hotel space.

People often say that, unlike in other developed countries, Japanese people have fewer chances to interact with individuals with disabilities. It is quite true that people rarely encounter disabled persons in their daily lives, and some may never have had the opportunity to engage with them.

The HERALBONY Room at fav is a rare opportunity to connect, although indirectly, with people with disabilities. Interacting with these products is a first step toward closing the gap and nurturing respect for the artists and bringing everybody closer as one. This is essential in building a society that embraces everyone just as they are.