They are on a very steep slope with a gradient of 1/4 (a one-meter elevation per four meters of horizontal length; about 14 degrees) and the difference of elevation between the highest rice field and the lowest one is no less than 100 m.
四分の一勾配（水平距離4m行って1m高くなる≒14度）という急傾斜で、上の田から下の田までの標高差は100mもある。