On my return flight from a business trip to Sweden, I had heard that Japan was experiencing snowfall. However, the flight landed without any issues. As usual, I collected my luggage and headed for the train to get home. That’s when I discovered the trains weren’t running due to heavy snow.
At the time, there was no information about when train service would resume. I checked the bus terminal, but buses were also out of service. Meanwhile, it seemed like flights were still landing, and the airport was gradually becoming packed with confused travelers. The taxi line stretched endlessly, but taxis weren’t arriving. Looking up information on my phone, I started seeing reports that Narita Airport had become a “landlocked island.” Wait, what?!
It seemed I was completely stuck at the airport.
With no trains or buses and taxis nowhere to be seen, people flocked to the convenience stores and fast food outlets, leaving shelves empty. Restaurants closed early too. As I wondered what to do, I overheard people talking about sleeping bags being handed out. Following the crowd, I found the distribution point where they were giving out sleeping bags, some snacks, and water – what a lifesaver.
I managed to borrow a sleeping bag early enough to avoid sleeping directly on cold concrete. Observing others, I noticed groups clustering near outlets to charge their phones. Thankfully, with my work gear – a tablet and two phones – I didn’t have to worry about running out of battery for a while.
The next morning, long lines had already formed near the train platforms. By then, the queue extended up to the second floor of the airport. Buses and taxis were still out of service. Foreign travelers seemed particularly distressed. The infrequent announcements were only in Japanese, and they essentially communicated that there had been no progress. By midday, everyone looked exhausted.
Among the many conversations I overheard, one surprising thing stood out: some people were planning to fly from Narita to Osaka and then take the bullet train back to Tokyo. Somehow, flights were still operating amid this chaos.
By evening, planes continued to land at Narita, adding more stranded travelers to an already overcrowded airport. I had resigned myself to spending another night there, but finally, around 11:00 PM, I managed to squeeze onto a packed train. However, the train stopped frequently for long periods, and I didn’t reach Tokyo until past 1:00 AM. Tokyo doesn’t handle snow well, but having no alternatives at all was a real problem.
After this ordeal, I’ve decided to avoid using Narita Airport for future trips whenever possible.