みなさんは飛行機に乗るときに窓側ー通路側のどっちをより選択されますか？
わたしの場合は、ひたすら行動自由度の高さで「通路側」一択でここしばらくの人生を過ごしてきています。窓の外の光景を目に焼き付ける、というのは、50年以上前の頃、飛行機に乗りたての頃にだいたい「見た！」という感覚が得られたので、以降はひたすら、乗降時、飛行中の「自由度の高さ」が主になり、一刻も早く機内での不自由さから解放されたい一心で通路側だった。
知らず知らずにビジネス人生として機能性一択になっていた心理だったのでしょうか（笑）。
それが今回たまたま、座席選択を失念していたら、人生で久しぶりの窓側席。「ありゃ、どうしよう。手荷物のパソコンでの若干の作業もあるから・・・そうか、足下に入れちゃえばいいや」という気分のスイッチが起動して、事前にしっかり便意を納めさせてから（笑）、折からの好天の中、関西から北海道までの窓外の景観を楽しんでおりました。
仕事人生の転換期でもあるので、久しぶりの窓外景観チェック。そうしたら、関空を離陸後、「おお関空と神戸って、意外と近いんだ」「大阪って埋め立て地ばっか、だなぁ」などとノー天気に頭カラッポ状態での受動的心理状態（笑）。
いちばん上の写真は碁盤の目状の都市割りが明瞭な京都の上空写真。やや右上の緑地は京都御所と見受けられました。「こういう整然とした街割りの都が千年の都だったんだ。やはり日本人の勤勉な性格って、こういうのが影響したのかなぁ」などの妄想状態。

としている間に、チョー眠気が襲ってきてしばし、恍惚のひとに・・・。で、気付いたら窓下には独立火山地形頂上部がまざまざと観望された。山頂部には冠雪が見られ、山頂に近いところから木々は紅葉が進み、ふもと部分まで紅葉から緑までのグラデーションが目に飛び込んでくる。
「これは寝ている内に一気に津軽・岩木山まで来てしまったか」
ボーッとしている内にかなりの観望ポイントを通過してしまったことを思い知らされる。「こっから先は気を確かに持って・・・」と決意を固めた。

機体はあっという間に津軽海峡を一渡りしてしまって、今度は函館の上空空撮へ。函館山という自然地形がいかに港湾として優れていたか、ふたたび学ばせていただく思いであります。北海道内の都市として函館は自分のなかではかなり大きな存在であり愛している街。その美貌を再度確認させていただいたような、景観に心打たれておりました。

そして目的地、新千歳空港に着陸寸前。常緑樹の林と圧倒的な広葉樹のコントラストが、「おお、よく帰ってきたな」と迎えてくれる。関西での空気感から自分の「ホーム」が再起動し始める瞬間であります。加齢してくると、こういう「無常感」がどんどん増してくる気がします。
この瞬間から、地元でのビジネス時間、再起動であります。やるぞっと。

English version⬇

Aerial sketch of a flight from Kansai to Chitose in fine autumn weather.
By chance, I was transferred from my usual aisle seat to a window seat. I felt the blessings of the autumn weather as the aerial view unfolded outside the window. For a moment, I was forced to change my line of sight to the macroscopic view. Aerial view

When you fly, do you prefer the window side or the aisle side?
In my case, I have been choosing the aisle side for a while now because of the freedom of movement. I have been choosing the aisle side for some time now because of the freedom of movement. and since then, it has been mainly “freedom” when boarding and exiting the plane and during the flight, and it was the aisle side with the single-minded desire to be free from the inconvenience of the in-flight as soon as possible.
Was it the psychology of having unknowingly chosen functionality as my business life (laugh)?
(Laughs) But this time, by chance, I forgot to select my seat, and for the first time in a long time in my life, I was seated on the window side. What am I going to do? I had to do some work on the computer in my hand baggage, so…well, I could just put it under my feet.” This activated a switch in my mood, and after having my bowel movements firmly contained beforehand (laugh), I was enjoying the scenery outside the window from Kansai to Hokkaido under the fine weather.
It was a turning point in my work life, so I checked the scenery outside the window for the first time in a while. After taking off from Kansai International Airport (KIX), I was in a passive state of mind, thinking “Oh, KIX and Kobe are surprisingly close” and “Osaka is full of reclaimed land, isn’t it?
The top photo is an aerial view of Kyoto, where the grid pattern of the city is clear. The green area slightly to the upper right appears to be the Kyoto Imperial Palace. I was surprised to see such an orderly layout of the city, which had been the capital for a thousand years. I wonder if the diligent nature of the Japanese people was influenced by such a city.

While I was trying to sleep, I felt sleepy and was in a trance for a while…. I noticed that the summit of the independent volcano could be seen clearly below the window. The summit was capped with snow, and the trees near the summit were turning red, and the gradation of colors from red to green was visible from the base of the mountain.
I wondered if I had reached Mount Tsugaru-Iwaki in one fell swoop while I was sleeping.
I realized that I had passed through a lot of viewing points while I was in a daze. I was determined to keep my eyes open from here on.

The aircraft quickly crossed the Tsugaru Straits, and we were now on our way to take aerial photos of Hakodate. Once again, I learned about the natural topography of Mt. Hakodate and how excellent it was as a port. Hakodate is a city in Hokkaido that I love and consider a major presence in my mind. I was struck by the scenery, which seemed to confirm its beauty once again.

And just before landing at our destination, New Chitose Airport. The contrast between the evergreen forest and the overwhelming broad-leaved trees greets me with a “Oh, you’ve come home so often. This is the moment when my “home” begins to reboot from the atmosphere in Kansai. I feel that as I age, this kind of “sense of impermanence” increases more and more.
From this moment on, I will restart my business time in my hometown. I’m going to do it.

Posted on 10月 25th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究