What JLPT level is 段梯子の恐怖?

段梯子の恐怖 is suitable for JLPT N1 level readers (estimated JLPT N1).

How long does 段梯子の恐怖 take to read?

段梯子の恐怖 takes about 9 minutes (around 745 words) to read at a learner's pace.

作品さくひんFree Graded Reading

段梯子の恐怖The Terror of the Staircase

Danhashigo no Kyoufu

by 小酒井不木 · Kosakai Fuboku

JLPT N1Short StoryQuiz ready

A detective story with a twist: was the staircase accident intentional?

About this story

A man's friend reacts with shock to a magazine story about staircases, hinting at a personal eerie experience.

Read a sample in Japanese

「探偵たんてい趣味しゅみ」第だい四よん号ごうの配達はいたつされた日ひ、私わたしを訪たずねた友人ゆうじんＦは、室しつにはいるなり、「もう来きたかね？」といって、机つくえの上うえにあった雑誌ざっしを、いきなり取とり上あげて、ページを繰くり始はじめた。彼かれはことし三さん十じゅう七なな歳さいの独身どくしんの弁護士べんごしである。「その十じゅう四よんページを見みなさい、編集へんしゅう当番とうばんのＮさんが、段梯子だんばしごの恐怖きょうふということを書かいているから……」「え？」と彼かれは雑誌ざっしをまるめ、びっくりしたような顔かおをして私わたしを見みつめた。「何なんだい、馬鹿ばかに真面目まじめな顔かおになったじゃないか、……僕ぼくもかねて段梯子だんばしごの恐怖きょうふを取とり扱あつかった小説しょうせつを書かいてみたいと思おもっていたのだが、みしり、みしり、と降おりて来くる深夜しんやの足音あしおとなどは、聊いささか材料ざいりょうが古ふるいから、もっと、現実げんじつ的てきな恐怖きょうふはないものかと思おもっているんだ。……おや、君きみどうした？　何なにをそんなにぼんやりしているんだ？」こう言いわれてＦははっと我わがに返かえったらしかった。「いや、実じつは、段梯子だんばしごの恐怖きょうふと聞きいて一寸ちょっと思おもい当あたったことがあるのだ。

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Source

This text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko

Base edition (底本): 「「探偵趣味」傑作選　幻の探偵雑誌2」光文社文庫、光文社
2000（平成12）年4月20日初版1刷発行

Typed in by 鈴木厚司. Proofread by 土屋隆.

Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, and replaced classical grammar with its modern form.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

The narrator's friend F picks up a magazine titled 'Detective Hobby' and comments on an article about 'The Terror of the Staircase'. He then tells a tragic story about a female teacher whose younger sister died after a staircase accident during an arranged marriage meeting, and the subsequent suicide of the teacher. F reveals he was the young man in the story, and now has a phobia of stairs and arranged meetings.

Language difficultyIntermediate · 60/100

Key vocabulary

段梯子だんばしご	staircase; step ladder
白羽しらはの矢や	being chosen (for a role or marriage)
丹毒症たんどくしょう	erysipelas (skin infection)
縊死いし	death by hanging

Grammar points you'll meet

～かと思うと N3As soon as; just when one thinks...
段々だんだんを二ふたつ三みっつ降おりたかと思おもうと、足あしをふみ辷すべらせたと見みえ、
～ばかりか N2not only... but also...
爾来じらい十じゅう年ねん、僕ぼくは、段梯子だんばしごに恐怖きょうふを感かんずるばかりか、見みあいそのものにも一種いっしゅの恐怖きょうふを感かんずるようになったよ。
～てしまう N4to do something completely; to finish doing; sometimes indicates regret
「ハハハハハ」私わたしは思おもわず笑わらった。

Cultural notes

見あい (Arranged Marriage Meeting)In traditional Japan, marriages were often arranged by families or matchmakers. The '見あい' was a formal meeting where the potential couple and their families would see each other for the first time, often leading to marriage. This story highlights the social pressures and potential tragedies surrounding such customs.
白羽の矢 (Being Chosen)Literally 'white-feathered arrow', this idiom originates from ancient times when a white arrow was used as a sign of being chosen for a sacrifice or important role. Here it means the young man was selected as the ideal candidate for marriage.