Review: JAL First Class Lounge Tokyo (NRT) – Live and Let’s Fly

After stepping off my JAL first class flight from Los Angeles, I had six hours before my connection to Doha on Qatar Airways. I spent the entire layover in the JAL First Class Lounge in Tokyo NRT, which is an expansive and well-appointed space, offering the possibility to work, relax, or dine.

JAL First Class Lounge Tokyo (NRT) Review

Although my outbound flight was only in business class on Qatar Airways, I was invited to use this lounge because I was connecting from a first class flight on JAL.

Location + Hours + Access

This lounge is located on the fourth floor of Tokyo Narita Terminal 2.

The following passengers have access to this lounge:

• oneworld international first class customers
• oneworld Emerald status members

Each can bring in one guest.

For JAL flyers, JMB Diamond and JGC Premier members have access (plus one guest) when traveling on any JAL flight, though the location of the lounge post passport control makes it nearly impossible to use for domestic flights.

The lounge is open daily 7:30 am to 10:00 pm.

Seating

I entered the lounge on the third level, which includes a shared entrance to both the First Class Lounge and Sakura Lounge (business class).

The lower level appears much more dated than the upper level, though it was very quiet with plenty of seating and restrooms. The bar, however, was closed. This level is also where the showers and smoking area are.

Stepping onto the fourth level (via elevator) was really like stepping into a totally different lounge.

 

You can also directly enter the lounge from this level.

On this level, you will find a number of private rooms to conduct telephone calls.

There is also a large room with plenty of seats and a great view of the tarmac.

There is even a massage chair in this room.

The lounge is really centered around eating, for there is far more seating in the dining area (spanning three of the four sides of the lounge) than simply to sit and relax.

Food + Drink

One centerpiece of this lounge is Sushi Tsurutei, with wooden counters and expert chefs that make you feel like you are in a fine sushi bar. Sushi Tsurutei is open daily from 7:30 am to 11:00 am and again from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

All orders are placed via your phone. When you sit down, you’ll notice a sticker with a QR code, which provides a menu and identifies the location of your table.

While I ordered western food on my JAL Flight, I did try some sushi and curry in the lounge.

I’m not a connoisseur of Japanese food, but thought the quality was superb.

Drinks (including soft drinks and alcoholic beverages) and light snacks were self-serve, but everything else had to be ordered.

Showers + Restrooms

Restrooms are located on both levels, while the shower is located on the third floor. You can request a shower room via QR code. Once ready, you will receive this notification:

Proceed to the reception and you will be given a key in exchange for your boarding pass.

The shower suite included a fully-equipped Toto toilet and shower products from Prédia. Shower pressure and temperature were satisfactory.

Restrooms are nearby. These also feature tricked-out toilets.

Lockers

If you care to drop your hand baggage off while relaxing in the lounge, lockers are available adjacent to the elevator on the fourth floor. You set your numeric four-digit code, though I have to imagine your bags are pretty safe just left unattended (as I left mine while showering).

Smoking

Smokers have access to an indoor smoking room on the third floor.

Service

Unlike the very personalized service you will receive in the first class lounges of competitors like Lufthansa, SWISS, or Air France, you are mostly left on your own here. This is true as well in the ANA first class lounge, so it does not put JAL at a competitive disadvantage within Japan. Nevertheless, my favorite part of any first class lounge is the high level of service and this felt more like a very posh business class lounge rather than a true first class lounge.

CONCLUSION

The Japan Airlines First Class Lounge at Narita Airport is a fine airport lounge for oneworld airline Emerald status holders and first class passengers with a wide selection of high-quality food, plenty of room to relax, and spotless restrooms and showers. This is not my favorite first class lounge due to the lack of personalized service, but is a very nice lounge that marked a lovely way to spend my layover at Tokyo Narita International Airport.

Have you visited this lounge? How did you like it?