As you might remember from SkyTeam Sakura Timing, the Sakura Lounges are Japan Airlines’ trademark Business Class-tier lounges. Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) is one of the two major JAL hubs. At International Terminal 3, the airline operates three lounges, a First Class Lounge and two reserved for Business Class passengers – Sakura Lounge and Sakura Lounge Sky View. Although the two Sakura Lounges are located atop each other, they are not connected. This review will focus solely on the JAL Sakura Lounge on Level 4 which only opened back in March 2023.

Lounge Access Rules

Passengers with a same-day reservation on Japan Airlines and oneworld First Class and Business Class flights are eligible for access. Passengers connecting to a oneworld flight from an international long haul oneworld flight in First Class and Business Class are also eligible for entry. When accessing by status, passengers holding at least oneworld Sapphire status are eligible for access. Refer to the Japan Airlines website for specific details.

In addition, Business Class and eligible frequent flyers travelling on Air France, China Airlines, China Eastern, Emirates, Hawaiian Airlines, and Shanghai Airlines are also permitted access to the JAL Sakura Lounge.

Location

The JAL Sakura Lounge is located in the lounge cluster near Gate 114. From the North Immigration Checkpoint, turn left and walk straight to Gate 114. There will be a sign that says ‘Lounges’ pointing to an enclosed corridor on the left-hand side. Head inside and take the escalator up one floor. You’ll find the JAL Sakura Lounge by the escalator landing, next to the ANA Lounge Satellite.

JAL Sakura Lounge

At the entrance to the lounge is a reception desk where a friendly lounge agent took a scan of my boarding pass. As the scanner lit green, she smiled before inviting me in. I was granted access by virtue of my Business Class Boarding Pass on China Eastern Airlines. Alternatively, I could also access this lounge with my SkyTeam Elite Plus membership.

This JAL Sakura Lounge takes up the space of the original ANA Lounge that closed over the pandemic. Having been opened several months before my visit, it was no surprise how plush and fresh the lounge looked. With lots of warm earthy tones and stone accents, the lounge is surely an elegant spectacle to the eye.

The lounge is separated into two main sections, including a very large dining area and a smaller lounge area. I will go on explaining these areas one-by-one, alongside the facilities available in the lounge.

The Dining

First dining area

Located immediately past the reception area is the first dining area, which JAL calls ‘The Dining’. Located here are two communal tables, each seating 12 people. Complementing the two communal tables, there are individual dining tables surrounding them, each seating between two to four people. These tables are also the closest to the lounge’s mobile order food counter, which I’ll get to soon.

More individual tables are located behind this area in a narrow corridor connecting the two dining areas. Running along the window are solo counter seats, which are a great choice for solo travellers. The rest of this area is composed of small dining tables seating two people. Given the narrow space, the tables are packed close to each other, giving less space and privacy compared to the previous area.

JAL’s Table Mobile Order

Dining in the JAL Sakura Lounge is composed chiefly of JAL’s Table, a counter service in which food is prepared and picked up after ordering. The lounge has JAL’s Table counters, corresponding to each dining area. Complementing the first dining area is a mobile order station, where you can pick up your food after ordering on the JAL Lounge+ app. Since the app will notify you when your food is ready, this area is consistently quieter compared to the other counter.

To use the mobile order platform, simply connect to the lounge’s WiFi network and scan the QR code on the dining tables. Doing so will automatically launch the JAL Lounge+ app, which does not need to be installed. After requesting a scan of your boarding pass’s barcode, you can use the ‘Order & Booking’ tab to order food. The app will notify you when the food is ready for pickup. For reference, the following was the menu on offer on my visit.

In addition to JAL’s Table, there is also a limited buffet with pastries, bread rolls, mini taiyaki, rice crackers, and packaged snacks and hard candies. There is also a toaster oven placed conveniently next to these baked goods to warm them up, alongside a selection of jam and butter. Expectedly, these were very tasty and high quality!

Complementing this food spread is a large selection of drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. I’ll elaborate on this later in the review.

Second dining area

Past the narrow corridor, we are rejoined by The Dining’s second dining area. This area is similarly composed of dining tables arranged tightly packed in a cluster. As was the case in the dining area along the corridor, most tables here seat only two people at most. However, this shouldn’t be a problem for families, given the close proximity of each table to another.

However, being the most open and spacious area in the lounge, this area is often also the most packed. Thankfully, there are extra tables and seats along the window hidden behind a partition towards the back of this area.

JAL’s Table

Beside the second dining area is the other JAL’s Table counter. Unlike the first counter, this is not a mobile order counter. As a result, there is usually a queue to order and receive your food. As the menu at this counter is identical to the mobile order JAL’s Table counter, I see no reason to queue here. In any case, the dish consists of cooked elements which are plated by the staff. Despite that, it was easily restaurant-quality and very delicious.

Like the first dining area, there is an identical cold buffet with pastries and bread rolls complementing JAL’s Table. Again, a toaster oven is provided conveniently next to these baked goods to warm them up, alongside a selection of jam and butter. What’s cool, however, is the rice dispensing machine next to this, which accompanies the self-served JAL Special Beef Curry next to it.

More pastries are available in a small pantry behind JAL’s Table, which also has mini taiyaki, packaged snacks and rice crackers. An identical array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks is also provided in this pantry area, alongside an oshibori dispenser.

Lounge Area

The main seating area of the JAL Sakura Lounge is located behind the second dining area. Most of the seats here are composed of either sofa chairs or padded armchairs arranged in rows facing each other. For privacy’s sake, the designers thoughtfully placed a partition between each row of seats, making the space feel more intimate.

Despite the comfortability of the seats, I was quite frustrated by the fact that not all seats have access to a dedicated power outlet (Type A and USB). In particular, power outlets are only available at the counter seats or those placed next to a wall or partition or resting on one. This is especially annoying considering how the lounge is recently renovated. This leaves the seats arranged ‘floating’ in the centre without power outlets, which can be problematic during high occupancy periods.

Complementing the sofas and armchairs is a granite-topped communal table, which features an elegantly designed table lamp. Like the seats by the window, these seats are very suitable as a working space. Better yet, each seat has access to a dedicated power outlet.

True to any Japan Airlines lounge, there are also counter desk seats running along the window. These are convenient for solo travellers and business travellers, more so due to the fact that each seat is equipped with a power outlet. Although arranged by the window, most of these seats feature an obstructed view of the apron, thus making them less appealing to avgeeks.

Drinks

Non-Alcoholic

The lounge area has a dedicated beverage station with an identical selection to those available next to JAL’s Table. In terms of soft drinks, the lounge has a Coca-Cola-branded soft drink dispenser in addition to bottles of tonic water and pitchers of cold tea, cold-brew coffee, juice, and milk in the chiller.

Furthermore, the drink dispenser specifically features various options like Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero, Calpis, Calpis Soda, Ayataka Green Tea, Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Minute Maid Orange and Lemon, and Georgia Iced Coffee. It also dispenses mineral and sparkling water. Expectedly, there is also a selection of Western and Japanese teas and a coffee machine brewing espresso-based drinks.

Alcoholic

Likewise, the JAL Sakura Lounge does not have a dedicated bar. Instead, alcoholic drinks are readily available for self-pouring, enabling one to make DIY cocktails. Beer dispensers are available throughout, which during my visit dispensed Kirin Ichiban Shibosu and Perfect Suntory Beer. Next to those is a selection of two white wines and two red wines. Sadly, Japan Airlines does not serve Champagne in their Business Class lounges. In place of this is Richland Brut Cuvee Chardonnay Pinot Noir, an Australian sparkling wine.

Finally, in terms of hard liquor and liqueurs, the lounge offers a decent variety of Japanese and Western options. To be specific, there are three kinds of sake, as well as a Suntory plum wine. There are also four whiskies (Jack Daniels Old No. 7, Ballantines 12 Years, Chivas Regal 12 Years, Tomatin 12 Years), as well as a bottle each of Tanqueray gin, Camus Cognac, and Smirnoff Vodka. In terms of liqueurs, on offer were Campari Bitters, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Lejay Cassis, and Cinzano Vermouth.

Overall, a nice and varied selection of drinks!

Amenities

Cloakroom

Just behind the reception area is the lounge’s cloakroom, which is a luggage storage locker space in Japan Airlines-speak. These lockers are operated by pin code, all of which should comfortably fit a cabin-sized carry-on and/or a winter jacket. There are 30 lockers available at the Haneda JAL Sakura Lounge.

Massage

As you’d find at any international JAL Sakura Lounge, the Haneda lounge also has (a limited) massage facility. Located just behind the first The Dining area, the massage facility features massage chairs placed in semi-private cubicles. These massage chairs are free to use and feature a complementary coat hanger. Note that eating and drinking is prohibited in this area.

Phone Booth

As is widely the case in Japan, making telephone calls in indoor spaces is frowned upon. Instead, such calls are expected to be taken in enclosed telephone booths, which limit the amount of noise coming into the lounge. This expectation is explicitly written on signs placed all over the lounge. The JAL Sakura Lounge Haneda has two phone booths located next to the massage facility after the reception. Power outlets are available in these booths.

Smoking Room

A smoking room is available inside the Sakura Lounge, near the lounge seating area. Having just taken a shower and given the level of occupancy in the lounge, I decided not to check it out.

Shower

The JAL Sakura Lounge has shower facilities spread between two areas, each corresponding to a toilet area. To request a shower, you will have to use a smartphone through the same JAL Lounge+ app used to order food. After making a request, the app will show a shower queue and notify you when one is ready. Once you are notified, head to the reception desk to get a shower keycard.

I was assigned a shower in the area next to the reception desk. The showers themselves are located down a corridor passing the toilets. Inside, I found the shower room to be modern and sleek, if not a bit dark and gloomy. Frankly, it could really do with an extra ceiling lamp. Curiously, however, the shower room comes with a self-contained air-conditioning system, meaning that you could set the temperature however you like.

In addition to the shower stall, each room features a built-in toilet with a bidet and a sinktop big enough for a carry-on bag. Furthermore, a stool, a hairdryer, and a clothes hanger are also provided in the shower room. I’ll also note that toiletries like toothbrushes and hair combs are available but have to be requested at the reception desk.

Finally, the shower stall itself has a rain shower and shower jets, in addition to a handheld shower. I found the temperature to be good although the water pressure is on the weaker side. The bath amenities are from Predia Fango, which I found to be quite decent.

Toilet

The JAL Sakura Lounge has two gender-segregated toilets, each located on either end of the space. As expected from Japan Airlines, I found the toilet to be very clean and well-kept. Additionally, I really liked the clean and sleek modern look of the toilet, which features a lot of privacy partitions.

I also appreciated the fact that the toilets cubicles feature the heated Toto Neorest smart toilets, which I am particularly fond of.

WiFi

The JAL Sakura Lounge has its own WiFi network (‘jal’) separate from the rest of the terminal. There is no password for the network and the connection was fast, unlike the ANA Satellite Lounge. Connecting to this network is also essential to make mobile food orders for JAL’s Table.

Overall

Overall, I found the JAL Sakura Lounge to be an exceptional Business Class lounge. Between the elegant design and the high quality food offered, I thoroughly enjoyed the offering at this lounge – especially compared to Haneda’s dismal ANA Lounges. Although I would easily give this lounge a perfect rating, I did feel that the lounge gets way too crowded, leaving it a bit chaotic at times. In any case, however, I don’t think there are any peaceful airport lounges in Japan, given how many people are eligible for entry.

Read more from this trip!