The Japanese word “himajin” means “someone with too much time on his hands.” A few weeks ago I came across a blog called “Tokyo Kaidan DB” (Tokyo Stairs Database), and curious to see if there were other odd blogs cataloging really mundane things, I came across some of the most time-wasting blogs you can imagine.
I guess the fact that I started looking for these blogs makes me just as much of a himajin as the authors are, though.
Putting them all in one post would make it a little long, so I’m going to do one of them each day this week.
Here’s a sample from the stairs blog:

No. 0357
Location: Bunkyo-ku, Otsuka, 5-1-16
Shape: Straight
Steps: 39 (Lower: 9, Middle: 20, Upper: 10)
Photo 2007.3.13
There are a lot of staircases on the west slope of Kasuga-dori St. in Otsuka 5-chome, but this is the southernmost. It’s close to Shinobazu-dori St.
There is no landing between the upper and middle sections. The middle section is narrow, but the upper section is wide because the buildings have been reconstructed. The narrow path expands to a width of 4m.
Several years ago (Apr. 2006-Mar. 2007), the stairway was reconstructed, with the concrete blocks being paved and repairs made.
Also, before, there were eight stairs in the lower section, but now, after the repairs, there are nine.

Stay tuned for the Vending Machine Report, the QR Code Blog, the Pedestrian Overpass Blog, and my personal fave, the Telekinesis Blog.
By the way, I got a comment that I think is too good to be relegated to the comments:
AdelaideBen Says:
Now that’s what I call otaku… seriously… is there really a community of stairs-spotters out there?“Ooooh look… a 45 stepper, leaning slightly to the left, galvanised hand-rail, clean 90 degree angle on the step, 1973 vintage for sure … now, you don’t see one of those every day of the week… that’s one for the connoisseurs….”
(no offence meant to any stairs-nut out there)

I’m also very glad that I didn’t make it on your list… and that my life has more meaning because of it.

?;`)