How often do you take the stairs? The horizontal distance of ONE stair here in Japan can be far in, which gives plenty of room per step especially if you have big feet like me. FYI I wear a size 31cm shoe/roughy 13 inches and wide. The beauty of Japanese stairs and staircases is that they make climbing them easy. Many steps will only require a 10 to 20-degree knee bend, so even someone with bad knees could probably manage up and downstairs here. This also depends on your height as well; I have not factored that in.
Older buildings and temples, however, will most likely have very small horizontal distance per stair, this is because most locals had smaller feet a long time ago. If you plan on sightseeing in Japan after the pandemic, plan to use lots of stairs, but also be aware that many temples and shrines will most likely be quite challenging. Some shrines like Hie Shrine in Hibiya, Tokyo will have an escalator leading up to a portion of the shrine. The rest will require climbing stone stairs.
Stairs in major train stations will have a mild incline with a deeper horizontal distance per stair and is fairly easy to climb for many people. It is common to see the elderly using the stairs far more often than elevators and escalators here, so it is possible to do with not much effort.
It’s so good to hear from you. I think you can ride your motorcycle up and down the stairs : ) So Cool. I always take the elevator up to my office, but sometimes I climb on the side of the building. Drink plenty of water!
