Pneumatic tire

A pneumatic tire comprising:

• a land portion that is partitioned by at least one major groove and that forms a contact patch surface;
• and
• a recessed region that is provided in the land portion, that extends between a first end and a second end along a prescribed direction where the first end contacts one of the at least one major groove and the second end contacts an inside of the land portion, and that is recessed relative to the contact patch surface;
• wherein the recessed region has at least one first vertical face that each forms a first edge between the first vertical face and the contact patch surface, and a base that extends in a width direction of the recessed region which is perpendicular to the prescribed direction;
• wherein the base comprises at least two planar regions arrayed along the prescribed direction and having discrete stepwise heights configured in such a manner that a depth in a tire radial direction of the recessed region from the first edge to one of the at least two planar regions contacting the first end is greater than a depth in the tire radial direction of the recessed region from the first edge to another one of the at least two planar regions contacting the second end:
• wherein the recessed region further has a second vertical face that connects the at least two planar regions and that forms a third edge between the second vertical face and a higher one of the at least two planar regions;
• wherein the third edge is inclined with respect to both a tire width direction and a tire circumferential direction,
• the maximum depth of the recessed region from the first edge to the base is not greater than 1.5 mm;
• and
• the entire length in a depth direction of the second vertical face is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm but is less than or equal to 1.5 mm.