Transiting through Tokyo (Narita) airport from Australia to the US gave me the opportunity to visit the Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge (Japan Airlines’ business class lounge). Being a Oneworld Emerald frequent flyer I was visiting the first class lounge however, I was travelling with my 2 year old little frequent flyer and so I thought I would check out the kids room which is in the Sakura Lounge. So I thought what a great chance to pop into the Sakura Lounge to take a look at the foods being served – and wow it was busy! Their lounge is split into 2 levels with more substantial food offerings ordered from a menu in the upstairs dining area – this food is not to be eaten downstairs. And upstairs sure was a hive of activity with a long line of about 30 people ordering food and not many available seats to sit down and eat. There was a large menu displayed towards the front of the line. The menu shared a number of dishes with the first class lounge including JAL Original Beef Curry, Vegetable Penne, Salmon Cream Fusilli, Chopped Salad and Vegetable Chips Salad. To see information on some of these dishes see review of the First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda and Narita (coming soon). The upstairs area was so busy I wasn’t able to see if there was anything available on a buffet – only thing I could see was The Dining menu, the long line and long tables full of people eating.
What’s Healthy?
- It is great to see salads available to order as an actual dish and not just a side that comes with another dish. The salads are full of vibrant colours being made of a mixture of colourful vegetables. Having had these salads in the first class lounge they are delicious with the salad with vegetable chips (fried slices of pumpkin, capsicum), purple cabbage, lettuce, and grains such as barley.
- The portion sizes of the dishes are usually quite small – in the first class lounge they are beautifully presented on a large dish but as a small portion. The images on the menu look similar to how they are served in the first class lounge. This helps prevent over indulging too much before a flight and also allows for trying a few different dishes if you are so inclined.
Not so great. Caution.
- On the ground floor of the Sakura Lounge there were a range of snacks available in jars, including Dorritos (corn chips), BBQ flavour chips, banana chips, cocoa biscuits, Pretzels and green beans. Since the lounge is split across 2 levels it is easy to just rely on the snacks on the bottom floor to eat if you don’t feel like moving your bags etc upstairs and battling with the crowds. These snacks are fairly processed and don’t really provide much in the way of nutrient benefits.
- Banana chips can sound like they are a healthy snack since they are basically sliced bananas. But they are usually deep fried and coated in sugar – which makes them high in fats and sugar. So it is best to view these like potato or vegetable chips, rather than a health food.
- Additional to the snacks in jars there were also different flavours of pastries available including cheese Danish and banana cream Danish. Pastries are usually high in energy and don’t really provide any nutrition benefit.
- While Japanese Curry is a delicious dish, be careful that this dish may come with only a really small amount of beef and nothing else but sauce and rice. While I did not order this dish in this lounge, I had it next door (and in the Haneda first class lounge) and each time it has only come with two small pieces of meat and then just white rice and sauce. Try ordering one of the side salads if you choose this meal – that way you can get a nutrient boost.
Final word on Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge – Toyko (Narita), Japan
A varied menu in the Japan Airline Sakura Lounge Tokyo Narita with both Japanese flavours and Western flavours. However the way of standing in a line and ordering a meal feels very school cafeteria like. It certainly did not feel very relaxed with that long line for food and having to eat a meal upstairs on long rows of tables. Not allowing people to eat a hot meal downstairs ensured some areas of the lounge were over crowded and it did not allow for a good experience. I would say not great for a business class experience as I like to relax in a comfortable seat and eat my food, or have a relaxing food experience at a dining table (but not amongst a long line).
NOTE: All pictures of the Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo Narita are my own and I review the food from the foods available at the time I visited the lounge. There may be different options available at other times.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Toyko Narita Children’s Room
The children’s room in Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo Narita had a play room with a TV showing cartoons (could be in either Japanese of English according to staff) and padded play area, a change room with change table, and a kitchen area with a sink and hot water for baby formula.
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Haneda, Tokyo Food and Nutrition Review
The Japan Airlines First Class Lounge at Haneda offers a mix of Japanese and Western foods. Highlights include freshly made sushi, a variety of small bite snacks like Sichuan style chicken, and a well-balanced Japanese meal set. However, some dishes like the Japanese curry and vegetable penne are noted for having high carbohydrate content with limited protein, which could affect blood sugar levels. Overall, the food is beautifully presented, and there are options to create a balanced meal.
