A "super-long" escalator in Japan has recently sparked a massive buzz on X (formerly Twitter) in Japan. A netizen shared their experience riding the escalator inside Hotel Urashima in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, describing the journey as "never-ending, almost felt like I'd vanish into thin air mid-journey." The photos quickly resonated with other users, with many sharing their own hilarious anecdotes from visiting the hotel.
This buzz-generating escalator is located at Hotel Urashima (ホテル浦島) in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. The hotel is perched on a peninsula, with the entire landmass practically belonging to the hotel. Beyond its multiple buildings, it boasts underground passages, natural cave hot springs, a rooftop garden, and even a shrine, leading many visitors to describe it as "like exploring an adventure park within the hotel."
This epic-length escalator is a whopping 154 meters long with a 77-meter elevation difference, taking about 5 minutes and 45 seconds to ride (though it's broken into sections). It's definitely one of the hotel's famous attractions.
The original poster (OP) shared photos and wrote that they casually hopped on the escalator, only to feel like it would take an eternity to reach the top, even thinking they might "perish" halfway. They jokingly added that Hotel Urashima wasn't just a hotel anymore; it was a fortress.
After the post went viral, many netizens expressed that they "totally related." Some who had visited Hotel Urashima revealed that the escalator was indeed impressively long, with some even stating that years later, they still remember "that ridiculously long escalator at Hotel Urashima," admitting they were too scared to ride it alone because it was just too long.
Others compared it to NERV Headquarters from the anime "Neon Genesis Evangelion," joking that the escalator was "practically NERV HQ-level long."
Interestingly, what also caught attention in the comments was the staircase next to the escalator. One netizen warned, "Sure, there are stairs, but seriously, don't take them. You'll regret it big time." Another user confessed that they didn't believe the warnings and stubbornly tackled the stairs, only to start thinking, "Nope, can't do this..." halfway up.
Some netizens pointed out that Hotel Urashima is special not just because of its super-long escalator; the entire hotel's structure is incredibly unique. Located on the Nachikatsuura peninsula, the hotel's sprawling grounds feature numerous hot springs, including natural cave hot springs. Some visitors mentioned that on their first visit, just exploring the premises felt like "getting lost."
One netizen recalled wandering around and trying out different hot springs in the hotel, only to almost "get lost and go missing inside the hotel."
Even more surprising to netizens was that this super-long escalator wasn't always in its current form. Some users noted that Hotel Urashima used to have a cable car, which was later replaced by the current escalator. Others remembered riding the previous facility during an earlier visit.
With an escalator so long it makes you question your life choices, coupled with cave hot springs, underground passages, and a massive peninsula-sized footprint, Hotel Urashima has become a unique accommodation where "just walking around feels like an adventure" for many travelers. If you ever get the chance to visit the area, this might just be the place to stay.