CPH-Flyer

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The Sakura lounges are indeed the business class lounges. The F lounges both in Haneda and Narita were renovated quite recently.

lsquare

I'm definitely aware of this. ​​​​​​I had a great time there in January 2023. I had no idea HND F was renovated recently. When was that completed?

CPH-Flyer

It reopened somewhere during the pandemic. I think my first look at it was in May 2022.

Unimatrix One

Yes, but the JL Sakura Lounge at ITM is even worse. And if you don't like the ambience of the ANA lounge, the superior alcohol offerings at the ANA lounge will have you feeling better very quickly!

CPH-Flyer

Less diminutive alcohol selection is probably a better description for it. Though sochu would have me feeling less than welcome quickly.

It is a matter of personal preference, I can't say either lounge would represent reason enough for me to book a specific carrier, since I'd try to avoid any significant time in either of the carriers' domestic lounge options. (the suite lounge/Diamond premiere is a better option on both sides)

But the thread is about the international Sakura lounge, and comparing the Haneda international Sakura lounge to the Haneda ANA lounge, it has long been a clear win for JAL, though both lounges suffer from over crowding. Though this additional space should hopefully alliviate a bit. If I have time to go early tonight, I might pop over and take some pictures of the new lounge to share, and give a brief review.

Unimatrix One

I would love to see your review of the new international Sakura Lounge at HND. Historically my strategy for international departures from NRT and HND has been to avoid the JANA lounges and use the lounges of alliance partners instead. So, for example, at NRT when flying JL, I used to use the Qantas and AA lounges, which were much less crowded and therefore more peaceful than the Sakura lounges. At HND, when flying JL I've always used the Cathay Pacific lounge, which is wonderful. Unfortunately for Star Alliance the only lounge at HND is ANA, so I've always had to fight the crowds at the ANA lounge there.

If the new Sakura lounge is nice enough and not too crowded, I might give it a try. But given where JL lounges have been headed the last few years, I'm not very confident that it will be that nice...

CPH-Flyer

Neither the Qantas nor the AA lounge are there anymore in Narita, and the Cathay lounge out there is not really great. The Cathay lounge in Haneda is quite nice, and I have at times skipped the JAL F lounge for it. Has it reopened? I did not check recently.

Lounges were never a strong side of JANA, I remember the international ANA lounge in the late '90s and early '00s, when they were still in T2 in Narita, that was closer to the current domestic offering than the current international. I did not get to try the JAL lounges back then. Though rumour was it was pretty much the same.

I don't have much experience with the JAL Sakura lounges in Japan. Only really in periods where the F lounges have been closed for renovation. Which has been nice enough, but nothing great.

lsquare

I can only speak of my experience at NRT in January 2023. JL F wasn't crowded when I was there. While transmitting at NRT to North America, I had a 6-7 hour layover. Sakura was busy and definitely louder than JL F. I immediately went back to F for the peace and quiet. I also enjoyed the sushi, ramen, and beef curry. I like how the attendants brought it to me whenever I ordered from the browser. Fantastic service!

CPH-Flyer

I got a quick look just now, the lounge was busy but not packed. But enough to make it difficult to get many pictures without annoying too many people.

Food have to options, QR code ordering, or line up for ordering. There is no open buffet at the moment. The popular choice amongst diners seemed to be the JAL curry. There are self service drinks stations.





There are also some high backed chairs that look comfy, but are really not. But just not really possible to get pictures without getting people too much in the shots. The dinning area has some really dense seating, but also a decent number of tables as picture number 3 above. Strangely the dense seating seemed more popular, or maybe just because it was closer to the entrance.

Generally, I'd say same same as the last times I went to the Sakura lounges. The potential buffet areas are quite small, so I could have a feeling that the QR code ordering, or ordering on person is here to stay. Not up to the level of the CX lounge, but I did not really expect that. Better than the ANA lounge, but that is a pretty low bar.

lsquare

It would be nice if you can post some pictures of the menu. Is there no sushi bar?

CPH-Flyer

The sushi bars are only for the first class lounges. I didn't actually have any food there. No sushi, no champagne.....

Purserin painajainen

So no comfy looking seats to lounge and relax? What a bummer. It's been a downside for Sakura lounges for some time now, I find it a bit odd they don't address it.

Unimatrix One

I think the chairs in the second photo look reasonably comfortable. But I agree with you that overall the comfort of JL lounges has declined in recent years.

wysiwyg

I have an AF J flight departing HND around midnight, so I guess I will experience this lounge. How busy does it get late into the evenings and is it hard to get a shower? I remember once being told the wait was several hours at the ANA lounge, but luckily, I was instructed to visit their other lounge and there was no wait. I think with JAL, there's just 1 lounge for business class, right?

LapLap

There aren’t that many JAL/One World flights departing Haneda at around midnight and beyond.

On the other hand, your AF flight seems to be leaving at the same time as JL41 heading for London which uniquely allows all the passengers irrelevant of ticket class or status to use the Sakura Lounge at T3 (from 21:40 for 00:10 departures). You’ll be glad to note that the shower rooms are not part of this arrangement.
JL41 doesn’t offer a meal after take off, the lounge access is expected to compensate for this omission with its own catering. I don’t see how this would be feasible if the Sakura lounge is anywhere close to being as busy as that ANA lounge you visited was.
If you arrive at the lounge before 9:40pm you’ll be able to place your food order before the JL41 passengers trickle in.

Hopefully you’ll report back. As one of the riff raff who will be using JAL’s “Premium Night Service” I’m also curious about what the lounge is like at this late time.