【ひさしぶり仙台着陸〜東北を北上旅】

　最近の新千歳空港の混雑ぶりは、すごい。とくに「国内線」側の混雑ぶりはハンパない。まずは駐車場がまったくのパンパンで、送迎のための１時間以内駐車は日中時間ではまずムリ。各入口に長蛇の車列が出来ている状況。距離のやや離れたC駐車場もあるけれど、飛行機へのアクセスを考えればやはりAB駐車場ということになる。
　AB駐車場の収容台数はそれぞれ1,800台と2,416台となっている。東京羽田の5つの駐車場の収容台数13,112台と比較するとC駐車場1.011台も含めて5,227台と、おおむね40%程度の台数なので、人口規模などを考えれば相応以上と思えるけれど、それがまったく機能不全寸前に陥っている。昨日もカミさんがクルマで送ってくれたのですが、それも時間に余裕を持って飛行機の出発定刻13時に対して10時頃到着したのですが、すでに駐車場入口は長蛇の車列。
　駐車場に入れて空港に早く入ってゆっくりしてから出発したかったのですが、やむなくそこからクルマで15分ほどの道の駅 マオイの丘公園まで往復して１時間ほど前くらいにクルマ送迎乗降場所に向かった。ところが、今度はその送迎乗降場所自体まで長蛇の車列！
　なんとか、数秒の停車が確保できた瞬間に降ろさせてもらいました。いやはや、というところ。で、国内戦の乗降エリアはそれこそ世界各国からのインバウンドと日本人客でまさにごった返している。まるで東京山手線の乗降口か！　これはゆっくりするのはムリと、早々にチェックインしてすぐに航空機の乗降エリアに入っていました。仙台路線はだいたいが日本人乗客。で、仙台に到着すると、飛行場は混雑とは縁遠く、非常に「ゆったり」している。ひと息。
　先日も北海道内のインバウンド状況について書きましたが、中国の「春節」時期の特別な混雑だけではなくなってきている。まぁ、通常に「住んで働いている」分にはそこまで影響もありませんが、札幌中心部などにアクセスするだけでもインバウンド混雑は常態化してきている。京都の混乱ぶりはよそ事とは思えない。
　おっと、いまは東北であります（笑）。あちこち知人へのあいさつも兼ねて、事前に仙台からレンタカーで北上していく作戦ですが、なかなか味わい深い光景、景観が迎えてくれる。早めに東北に入ってゆっくりホテルで各種原稿書き、講演データ仕上げと考えていたのですが、どうも集中が困難（笑）。なんとか本日、頑張りたい。
　写真は北東北の象徴のような「岩手山」の上空からのビュー。


English version⬇

New Chitose Airport, the gateway to Hokkaido, is on the verge of exploding due to overcrowding caused by the large number of inbound passengers . It is almost impossible to secure parking. The time and scenery in the normal Tohoku area is peaceful and relaxing. ...

　The recent congestion at New Chitose Airport is incredible. In particular, the congestion on the “domestic” side of the airport has been overwhelming. First of all, the parking lots are completely full, and it is impossible to park within an hour during daytime hours for pick-ups and drop-offs. There are long queues at all entrances. There is also parking lot C, which is a little further away, but considering the access to the plane, parking lot AB is still the best choice.
　The AB car park has a capacity of 1,800 and 2,416 vehicles respectively. Compared to the 13,112 spaces in the five parking lots at Tokyo Haneda, 5,227 spaces, including 1.011 in Parking C, is roughly 40% of the total, which seems more than adequate considering the size of the population, but it is now on the verge of total dysfunction. Yesterday, my wife drove me to the airport, but we arrived around 10:00, well in advance of the scheduled departure time of 13:00, but there was already a long queue at the entrance to the parking lot.
　I wanted to enter the airport early and relax before leaving, but I had no choice but to drive 15 minutes by car to the roadside station Maoi Hill Park and back, and then to the car pick-up and drop-off point about an hour before. However, this time there was a long queue of cars to the pick-up and drop-off point itself!
　I managed to get dropped off the moment I was able to secure a stop for a few seconds. Oh no. The domestic boarding and disembarking area was packed with inbound and Japanese passengers from all over the world. It was like getting off the Yamanote Line in Tokyo!　I checked in early and immediately entered the boarding area for the aircraft. Most of the passengers on the Sendai route were Japanese. And when I arrived at Sendai, the airfield was far from crowded and very “relaxed”. A breath of fresh air.
　I wrote about the inbound situation in Hokkaido the other day, but it is no longer just the special crowds during the Chinese “Spring Festival”. Well, it doesn't affect the normal “living and working” population, but inbound congestion is becoming the norm, even just to access central Sapporo and other areas. The chaos in Kyoto is not something to be taken for granted.
　Oops, I'm in Tohoku now (laughs). My strategy was to rent a car and drive north from Sendai in advance to greet acquaintances here and there, but I was greeted by quite tasteful sights and scenery. I had planned to enter Tohoku early and spend some time at a hotel writing various manuscripts and finishing the data for my speech, but it is very difficult to concentrate (laughs). I hope to do my best today.
　The photo is an aerial view of Mount Iwate, which is a symbol of the north-eastern region.