diff --git a/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step01.py b/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step01.py
index df5d8e57017c..daf4508baa45 100644
--- a/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step01.py
+++ b/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step01.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def setup_axes(fig, rect):
 
 fig = plt.figure(figsize=(3, 2.5))
 fig.subplots_adjust(top=0.8)
-ax1 = setup_axes(fig, "111")
+ax1 = setup_axes(fig, 111)
 
 ax1.axis["x"].set_axis_direction("left")
 
diff --git a/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step02.py b/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step02.py
index de6a21df4283..bc8a8e652b03 100644
--- a/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step02.py
+++ b/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step02.py
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@ def setup_axes(fig, rect):
 fig = plt.figure(figsize=(6, 2.5))
 fig.subplots_adjust(bottom=0.2, top=0.8)
 
-ax1 = setup_axes(fig, "121")
+ax1 = setup_axes(fig, 121)
 ax1.axis["x"].set_ticklabel_direction("+")
 ax1.annotate("ticklabel direction=$+$", (0.5, 0), xycoords="axes fraction",
              xytext=(0, -10), textcoords="offset points",
              va="top", ha="center")
 
-ax2 = setup_axes(fig, "122")
+ax2 = setup_axes(fig, 122)
 ax2.axis["x"].set_ticklabel_direction("-")
 ax2.annotate("ticklabel direction=$-$", (0.5, 0), xycoords="axes fraction",
              xytext=(0, -10), textcoords="offset points",
diff --git a/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step03.py b/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step03.py
index 6b6d6a287462..b02962af8ebf 100644
--- a/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step03.py
+++ b/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step03.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def setup_axes(fig, rect):
 fig = plt.figure(figsize=(6, 2.5))
 fig.subplots_adjust(bottom=0.2, top=0.8)
 
-ax1 = setup_axes(fig, "121")
+ax1 = setup_axes(fig, 121)
 ax1.axis["x"].label.set_text("Label")
 ax1.axis["x"].toggle(ticklabels=False)
 ax1.axis["x"].set_axislabel_direction("+")
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def setup_axes(fig, rect):
              xytext=(0, -10), textcoords="offset points",
              va="top", ha="center")
 
-ax2 = setup_axes(fig, "122")
+ax2 = setup_axes(fig, 122)
 ax2.axis["x"].label.set_text("Label")
 ax2.axis["x"].toggle(ticklabels=False)
 ax2.axis["x"].set_axislabel_direction("-")
diff --git a/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step04.py b/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step04.py
index 25ea10c0cff8..5769f2934e76 100644
--- a/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step04.py
+++ b/examples/axisartist/axis_direction_demo_step04.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def setup_axes(fig, rect):
 fig = plt.figure(figsize=(6, 2.5))
 fig.subplots_adjust(bottom=0.2, top=0.8)
 
-ax1 = setup_axes(fig, "121")
+ax1 = setup_axes(fig, 121)
 ax1.axis["x1"].label.set_text("rotation=0")
 ax1.axis["x1"].toggle(ticklabels=False)
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def setup_axes(fig, rect):
              xytext=(0, -10), textcoords="offset points",
              va="top", ha="center")
 
-ax2 = setup_axes(fig, "122")
+ax2 = setup_axes(fig, 122)
 
 ax2.axis["x1"].set_axislabel_direction("-")
 ax2.axis["x2"].set_axislabel_direction("-")
diff --git a/examples/axisartist/simple_axis_direction01.py b/examples/axisartist/simple_axis_direction01.py
index 79d074b2d860..2240ceece7e0 100644
--- a/examples/axisartist/simple_axis_direction01.py
+++ b/examples/axisartist/simple_axis_direction01.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import mpl_toolkits.axisartist as axisartist
 
 fig = plt.figure(figsize=(4, 2.5))
-ax1 = fig.add_subplot(axisartist.Subplot(fig, "111"))
+ax1 = fig.add_subplot(axisartist.Subplot(fig, 111))
 fig.subplots_adjust(right=0.8)
 
 ax1.axis["left"].major_ticklabels.set_axis_direction("top")
diff --git a/examples/axisartist/simple_axis_direction03.py b/examples/axisartist/simple_axis_direction03.py
index 5185d144ab1f..e9b758b15817 100644
--- a/examples/axisartist/simple_axis_direction03.py
+++ b/examples/axisartist/simple_axis_direction03.py
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@ def setup_axes(fig, rect):
 fig = plt.figure(figsize=(5, 2))
 fig.subplots_adjust(wspace=0.4, bottom=0.3)
 
-ax1 = setup_axes(fig, "121")
+ax1 = setup_axes(fig, 121)
 ax1.set_xlabel("X-label")
 ax1.set_ylabel("Y-label")
 
 ax1.axis[:].invert_ticklabel_direction()
 
-ax2 = setup_axes(fig, "122")
+ax2 = setup_axes(fig, 122)
 ax2.set_xlabel("X-label")
 ax2.set_ylabel("Y-label")