| THE ALVIATOR'S VERDICT This lounge gets crowded and doesn't have any inspiring amenities, though the basics are there, with good seating, WiFi, catering, and some of the best showers I've seen at an airport lounge. I also generally think I might have different priorities to the average Japanese traveller, though I'm comfortable rating this international business class lounge according to international standards | 3.5 |
In January 2026 I flew Japan Airlines out of Tokyo Haneda Airport, and had access to both of the business class lounges that the airline operates at Haneda Airport. The airline’s flagship business class lounges are stacked atop one another, and are purely designed to alleviate capacity, as they’re near-identical. In this post I’ll review the Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge, and in the next post I’ll review the Japan Airlines Sakura Sky View lounge, which is located one level up.
If you’re used to top Asian airlines operating their lounges as mini-destinations (such as Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways‘ hub lounges etc.), Japan Airlines’ lounges are not that – these spaces are glorified seating areas with an unimpressive food and beverage selection. However, Japan Airlines is one of two airlines I know that let premium economy passengers use their lounges (the other being ANA), so as someone flying premium economy I was glad to have lounge access at all.
This lounge is the airline’s “main” business class lounge, and has showers. However, it tends to get crowded really quickly. The airline redirects passengers to the Sky View lounge after the main lounge fills up, and I think that’s a good strategy, since I’d recommend going to the Sky View lounge as well unless you need a shower.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo Haneda Access and Opening Hours
The Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge has slightly longer opening hours than the Sky View lounge that sits atop it – it’s open from 5:30 AM to 1:50 AM (when Japan Airlines’ last flight of the day leaves to Manila), whereas the Sky View lounge only opens from 7 AM to 1 AM.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Opening Hours
The Sakura Lounge and the Sky View lounge have identical access requirements, being open to:
- Oneworld business class passengers (Japan Airlines, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, etc.)
- Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald members (Emerald members can also use the Japan Airlines First Class lounge)
- Japan Airlines premium economy passengers
- Japan Airlines economy passengers on a Flex fare
While Japan Airlines has a special lounge access arrangement for economy passengers on their 1 AM Heathrow route (JL41), that only applies to the Sky View lounge, and not this lounge.
I’m going to quickly note that the first two categories can also visit the Cathay Pacific lounge at Haneda. As a premium economy passenger with no Oneworld status, I couldn’t visit this lounge. However, it may be the case that the Cathay lounge will both be quieter, and also have a better food selection, especially because they have a staffed bar, barista coffee, and made-to-order noodles (whereas this lounge doesn’t). That’s something to be aware of.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo Haneda Location
The Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo is located in Terminal 3, where all international Japan Airlines flights depart. You’ll find the entrance to the lounge near gate 114, one level up from the main terminal.
Since I’d heard good things about Haneda Airport (which was easy to navigate on the whole), I was slightly surprised to find that signage to the lounge was poor – once I got airside, I had to Google where the lounge was in order to find it. After security, turn left, and this lounge complex will be a few gates over.
Both of the Japan Airlines business class (“Sakura”) lounges are located in this lounge complex, and the Cathay Pacific lounge and Delta Sky Club are also located here. However, the Japan Airlines first class lounge has a separate entrance, so don’t head up that direction if you’re trying to find the business class lounge.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Entrance
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo Haneda Seating and Atmosphere
The Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge at Tokyo Haneda is one large trapezoidal room, separated by a few partitions to feel like a “loop”. The lounge has a huge amount of seating, reflecting how crowded it gets during peak hours.
To the left of the lounge’s entrance were some grey armchairs with side tables, laid out in neat rows facing each other.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Seating
Then beyond this was some table seating, with some armchairs and restaurant-style tables, as well as benches.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Seating
Further in, I found some workstations, which had some Japanese-type power ports.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Workbenches
Then along the back of the lounge was some more restaurant-style seating. This was probably the most pleasant area to sit during the day, as it had floor-to-ceiling windows and faced the tarmac. This area filled up very quickly once the lounge got busy (I visited the lounge right as it opened).
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Seating
Then over on the other side of the lounge was some more communal seating and more restaurant seating.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Seating
In terms of views, the lounge faced the tarmac, so there was a brilliant view of many Japan Airlines widebodies, as well as the runway in the distance.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Tarmac Views
WiFi was easy to connect to, and worked very well. Also, the “no phone calls” rule is enforced strictly – when someone was on a video call with their volume on, a staff member came by with a “please refrain from making phone calls, there’s a dedicated area for this” card.
There’s a huge amount of seating here, and still the lounge gets so crowded that it needs an overflow space. Also, Japan Airlines doesn’t design their lounges to be “destination” areas – all of the seating is uniform, and either features a table in front for eating or working, or a side table for grabbing a coffee. This lounge features the least variation in seating type out of any lounge I’ve seen, particularly for a hub lounge – and perhaps that’s intentional on Japan Airlines’ part. The lounge functions as a comfortable, high-capacity waiting room with catering, and serves its purpose in that.
Also, it’s worth noting that the lounge did get very crowded ahead of 7 AM, with most seats filled, reflecting the airline’s morning rush to Europe and Asia (as well as Qantas’ flight to Sydney, etc.).
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo Haneda Food and Beverage
I visited during breakfast hours, and the airline has a decent, though not amazing food spread. Western options featured chicken and mushroom tomato stew, sausages, chips, a cream pasta, eggs, and pancakes. there was also a salad bar.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Food Spread
Asian options featured barbecue pork short ribs and fried rice, and there was a separate section with teriyaki mackerel, tamagoyaki, as well as traditional Japanese breakfast condiments. There was also rice.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Food Spread
Alongside this, there was also Japan Airlines’ special beef curry, Chinese-style tantan soup (that’s the Japanese version of dan dan noodles, which you’ll find at Cathay Pacific lounges), and New England clam chowder.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Food Spread
There’s actually also a small made-to-order food selection, where food is brought to your table. However, instead of being a dedicated made-to-order menu for specialty dishes, the selection is designed to be a “free-from” section, providing halal and gluten-free options such as vegetable penne, butter chicken, and rice flour bread.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Order-To-Table Options
I decided to go for a Japanese beef curry, and it was tasty, although my body was a bit confused about why I was eating Japanese curry at 6 AM in the morning.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Curry and Iced Coffee
Most of the alcoholic drinks section is located in a certain corner of the lounge’s food spread.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Drinks Area
The lounge pours Michel Tissot & Fils Fête d’Or Blanc de Blancs Brut champagne, and there’s also a selection of white and red wines, as well as sake. I didn’t indulge in this, given how early in the morning it was.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Liqueurs and Sake
Okay, I may have made an exception when I saw a self-pouring beer machine. The lounge pours Kirin Ichiban and Suntory beer on draught, and I figured it was still evening in Europe (where I’d be flying to), so decided I’d have an early morning drink.
As seen in the fridge below, there’s also a small non-alcoholic section. While you’ll find standard soft drinks, I was quite happy with the fact that the lounge served jugs of iced coffee, which I appreciated at this time in the morning. You’ll also find a jug of the airline’s signature Sky Time drink, which currently is being made with peach and grape. I’ve tried other iterations of the airline’s Sky Time drink (they switch up the fruits involved in the recipe) and haven’t liked every version, though liked this one.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Beer and Iced Coffee/Sky Time
While the food and drink on offer was alright, this is a level behind what you’ll find at many airlines’ hub airports. For example, there’s no made-to-order food (apart from the small halal and gluten-free selection), and there isn’t a manned bar or barista coffee. I know that ANA does a small selection of made-to-order noodles, and would’ve appreciated a similar offering at the Japan Airlines lounge.
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo Haneda Showers
Japan Airlines’ Sakura Lounge at Haneda Airport has nine shower rooms, and they’re bookable using a QR code by the entrance. It’s supposed to send you an email that you then send to reception once your shower room is ready, though I never received an email, just a pop-up notification (the lounge agent ended up letting me use the shower anyway after seeing my boarding pass – it seemed to work fine for everyone else).
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Showers
While the room itself didn’t look anything special, I loved the additional nozzles that the showers featured – I’ve not used one of those in a long time, and it felt like being in a car wash, in the best way. I also thought that the overall water pressure was excellent. I didn’t mind the Prédia toiletries that the shower room featured either (though I’ve had better in the past).
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Showers
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo Haneda Massage Facilities
In terms of other facilities, the lounge features a few cubicles with massage chairs, which are first-come-first-serve. This also serves as a nap area (since the chairs are comfy and the room is dark).
Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo HND Massage Area
I didn’t end up using one of these massage chairs – I just had some curry (and coffee…and beer) while getting some work done with the WiFi, then headed to the Sky View lounge at 7 AM when it opened, so I could review it as well.
Conclusion: Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Tokyo Haneda
The Japanese air travel scene is unapologetically different from any other I’ve seen, and priorities are clearly different to what I personally value in a business class lounge. At most airlines’ hub airports, airlines try and space their lounges apart so people can head to the one closest to their departure gate. Japan Airlines stacks their two business class lounges at their hub airport atop one another.
Most top airlines design their lounge to be a pre-departure haven, which sets a good tone for the rest of the experience. Japan Airlines doesn’t seem interested in that – there are two types of armchairs throughout the entire lounge, and there’s a middling food spread and alcohol is exclusively self-serve (spoiler alert, the overflow lounge is pretty much identical, maybe with marginally nicer decor).
Most airlines market their first and business class experiences as aspirational, including the lounges and ground experience. Japan Airlines opens their business class lounge up to premium economy and high-paying Economy Flex passengers (this benefitted me this time round).
Between the jugs of iced coffee, one of the best showers I’ve had at any airline lounge, the self-pouring draught beer, massage chairs, and premium economy lounge access, I can’t help but think I just have a different set of priorities to Japan Airlines’ target audience. I’m more comfortable rating this lounge according to international standards than I would a Japan Airlines domestic lounge, though, and will stand by my 3.5-star rating.
If you’re like me and value amenities such as a manned bar and made-to-order food, I’d recommend the Cathay Pacific lounge upstairs if you have access. I’ve not been, though that lounge seems more in line with my personal preferences, according to my previous experience with Cathay Pacific lounges (and other people’s reviews).
Have you been to the Japan Airlines business class lounges at Haneda Airport? What’s your take on them?
