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Japanese staircase fanatic finds beautiful spot that looks like a real-world M.C. Escher painting

Katy Kelly Aug 17, 2019
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Who knew you could cram that many stairs into one place in reality?

While Twitter is functionally a place where you can post updates about your own life and connect with friends, an increasing number of people are using their Twitter accounts (and other social media websites) to catalog their interests. Whether you’re a papercraft prodigy, an art collective or even just a group of cute bunnies, you can make your Twitter into a shrine to something you’re deeply passionate about – and then like-minded souls can follow you, so everyone wins!

Japanese Twitter user @kaidanmeguri is a dedicated stairway climber. What is a stairway climber? Exactly what it sounds like.

博愛主義的にコンクリート舗装の階段も愛でたい気持ちは十分あるんですが、どうしても石段をみると胸がときめくのは止められない…！！ pic.twitter.com/Oyaf68Gbfp

— 階段巡りツイッター (@kaidanmeguri) August 14, 2019

Roaming about Japan via its various bus routes, @kaidanmeguri takes snaps of any stairwells or steps of note. This often overlooked architectural feature finally gets the recognition it deserves in these beautifully shot photo sets – and @kaidanmeguri never fails to snap the local cats prowling about the steps!

On August 10, @kaidanmeguri uploaded an especially labyrinthine treat for stairway gourmets.

▼ “There aren’t many stairwells with this level of Eschertude. As a matter of fact, this might be the best case of it I’ve seen so far.”

これだけエッシャー感のある階段はなかなかない、というか今までで一番かもしれん。 pic.twitter.com/fZ10tLZ9KY

— 階段巡りツイッター (@kaidanmeguri) August 11, 2019

This is showcased expertly in the pair of photographs; the tangent lines of the stairways blend neatly in with the road railings, so much so that it plays havoc with your sense of scope and perspective. Here’s an Escher portrait to compare:

pic.twitter.com/6Yp3Xl5UpZ

— T (@T29612682) August 11, 2019

While there aren’t stairs trailing across the sky in these photographs, the sheer number of parallel stairways definitely calls the classic optical illusions to mind. And Escher wasn’t the only comparison other online commenters drew.

▼ “All those slight differences in altitude have me wanting to shoot a bow-and-arrow from the highest point… Reminds me of Final Fantasy Tactics.”

こう小気味好い高低差があると一番上から弓撃ちたくなりますね…FFTを思い出しました。 pic.twitter.com/D7P1Q6Ait5

— 非実在AI爺さん (@d_darkness_b) August 11, 2019

▼ “It’s like [Monument Valley] come to life…”

リアルでこんな感じ…。 pic.twitter.com/XUOPaTuqHK

— ぷるぐる (@kugathuneko) August 11, 2019

@kaidanmeguri didn’t name the location of this multi-step junction, though commenters guessed a number of locales such as Hiroshima, Nagasaki, or more generically “a remote island”… Though as the original poster had been in Tsuruga, Fukui prefecture, just a day or so before posting the images, that seems to be a more likely candidate.

Pictures like this really help you to get a new perspective on landscapes and scenery that tend to be ignored when it comes to beautiful photography. Fans of @kaidanmeguri’s unique passion should definitely follow both the Twitter and Instagram accounts – the Instagram even has an English version!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Beautiful Stairways in Japan (@stairwaytojapan)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 階段巡りインスタグラム (@kaidanmeguri)

Now this has me wondering if there are a specific set of stairs I feel very attached to…maybe this one, labelled with cheery messages to urge you to the top. Or the Aomori Staircase Highway? It’s just so hard to choose!

Source: Twitter/@kaidanmeguri via Hachima Kikou
Featured image: Twitter/@kaidanmeguri
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