Japan Airlines unveils refreshed Tokyo Narita first class lounge

Following a six-month transformation and a renewed focus on food to tempt the tastebuds of travellers, one half of Japan Airlines’ main first class lounge at Tokyo's Narita Airport is once again welcoming travellers.

The refresh sees an introduction of JAL’s Table, building on the previous first class lounge sushi bar to offer sashimi and other seasonal dishes in addition to sushi, all prepared right in front of you.

The menu rotates weekly and includes a mix of delicacies such as maguro (tuna), Japanese whiting, Coho salmon and tamagoyaki (rolled egg)...

... with long-standing sushi plate from the former sushi bar – a favourite of many travellers passengers at Narita Airport – remaining on that menu, where it's been offered for years:

By popular demand, ramen can also now be ordered at JAL Table from 7:30am to 9:30pm, joining the perennial favourite JAL beef curry which is also available all day.

The new first class lounge is finished with simple wooden tones and complemented by modern Japanese design elements.

This level has been split into three distinct zones - one for lounging, one for buffet dining, and one for dining upon the made-to-order JAL Table dishes.

Other facilities include a cloakroom for small bags and a shoe-shine service by John Lobb.

The Narita Terminal 2 first class lounge has space over two floors, and currently, only this upper floor has been renovated and re-opened.

The lower floor is now closed until late 2019 to go under the knife, from this…

… to something like this. The bulk of the lounging area will be found on this lower level, with the upstairs already focused on dining.

First class passengers, Qantas Platinum frequent flyers (and above) and other Oneworld Emerald cardholders usually have access to Japan Airlines' first class lounges when departing on a Oneworld flight.

However, access to this new space may be limited for passengers taking a partner airline flight operated by Qantas – to Melbourne or Brisbane, as Sydney flights depart from Haneda Airport – or American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Malaysia Airlines, S7 Airlines or SriLankan Airlines during the renovation period.

Japan Airlines has another first class lounge in the adjacent satellite building, as well as Sakura business class lounges in both areas, which are all still open for eligible passengers.

You can download a copy of the April 2019 JAL first class lounge menu here [PDF, 824 KB].

Brandon Loo

Based in Perth, Brandon enjoys tucking into local delicacies, discovering new cocktails, and making aeroplane food look good on camera.