The Five Yen of Happiness! Narita Airport, The JAL Sakura Lounge

The Five Yen of Happiness!  Narita Airport, The JAL Sakura Lounge

• I give in – I need a break (Introduction)
• To Heathrow and The BA Galleries North Lounge
• BA902 London Heathrow to Frankfurt Airport in Club Europe
• Bumbling around Frankfurt Airport with random #AVGeek spotting
• Meeting the A350 and the Air Canada Lounge
• Qatar Airways QR068 Frankfurt to Doha
• The joy of Hamad International Airport, and The Oryx Rotana Hotel
• Qatar Airways Flight QR812 Doha to Tokyo Haneda
• The Hotel JAL City Haneda Tokyo
• Shikansen Adventures to Hiroshima!
• Time in Hiroshima (featuring the ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima)
• Hirosihima – 70 years on
• A day trip to Itsukushima
• More Shinkansen fun to Kyoto (Featuring Kyoto Tower Hotel)
• A trip up to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
• Dinner with The real_jetsetr!
• The JR Central SC Maglev and Rail Museum
• Shinkansen to Tokyo
• The Strings by InterContinental
• Cheap evening – From the Tokyo Metropolitan Building
• The JR East Railway Museum, Saitama
• Shibuya nights
• Akihabara Days
• Gotta Catch them All! A few Pokemon Centres.
• Off to Narita
• Nartia Airport, The JAL Lounge
• Qatar Airways Flight QR807 Tokyo Narita to Doha
• Four and Half Hours in Doha Airport
• Qatar Airways Flight QR067 Doha to Frankfurt
• More time in Frankfurt
• BA8735 Frankfurt to London City Airport (Club Europe)
• Homeward
• Memories
• And about that Five Yen Coin – The Sensoji Temple, Asakusa

With me off the Narita Express, it was a case of following the signs to the departures.

Bye JR Rail. Thanks for some wonderful memories. 

This way it seems…

Up, up the escalators!

Qatar Airways Check in area.

The Check-in area was pretty active when I arrived, so I queued up in a premium queue (the joy of BA Gold), and waited to be served.

Eventually, I was checked in – however the umbrella that I had been travelling with since Hiroshima was not allowed to travel, and would have to be disposed of.

I took it, and reluctantly disposed of Umbrella-chan – my companion for nearly 6 days of this trip.

Farewell Umbrella-chan. You’ll be in my heart for ever. Even if Umbrella theft is a problem in Japan. 

Narita Terminal 2 Departures

Whilst I was in Narita Airport, there was a Pokemon Store to explore. This was done post check-in… and too late to buy a massive Pikachu and check it in.

Airline Pilot Pikachu greets you!

Thank you Narita Airport – I’ll try to.

Once that Electric mouse got me one final time, I headed through security which was done with efficiency and care.

Once through security, the JAL Sakrua lounge was a short walk away. I headed in.

I was welcomed to the lounge and directed to the First Class side (the small benefit of Oneworld Emerald), and headed off to explore the lounge.

Lounge entrance.

The Sakura Lounge – First Class side.

The first thing that caught my eye – was the live sushi bar. Yes. They would make you fresh sushi in front of you.

It’s almost reason enough to hang onto Oneworld Emerald.

The sushi bar closed later on.

The drinks selection was extensive as well – always good to see when lounges don’t cut back on things like this

Drinks area

The amazing beer machines. Not for me this trip.

Bubbles and white wine. Considering I’d be entering an alcohol free zone when I hit Doha, I took advantage.

There’s also an extensive food selection, with both western and Japanese dishes for those who don’t like sushi.

Salads

Cold items

Breads and cakes.

Hot items… and a rice cooker. I regret not picking one up in Akiharaba.

Rice, Japanese items and BEEF CURRY. Ahem. Japanese Curry.

I might have a slight obsession about Japanese Curry.

The food was of good quality… and lets just say I had at least one serving of curry…

As well as some bubbles.

Japan Airlines planes waiting outside for their next turns.

The lounge itself was quiet – mainly due to the time of day I was there. Very few long haul flights were left to depart Narita that night

Lounge Wifi Speed was acceptable – not the best I encountered on my trip to Japan, but still more than passable.

As time ticked on, it was time to head to the gate. As the departures were in the far satellite of Terminal 2,  I begun the hike over to gate 81 to 99.

In the past, there used to be a shuttle train. This has now been replaced with a moving walkway.

Well – I needed the steps to keep me active.

This way…

On the plus side there were a couple of stores on the way where I deposited my few thousand more yen on Kitkats and other nicknacks before heading to the gate.

Eventually, I reached Gate 93 – the departure point for tonight trip to Doha. The gate itself seemed busy – not packed, but busy enough.

Boarding announcements were made, and everyone begun lining up. I lined up in the premium lane, and was blipped through.

The waiting 777-200LR

With me blipped through, it was time to leave Japan and board the plane that would take me towards Doha.

NEXT – Qatar Airways QR807 Tokyo Narita to Hamad International Airport, Doha.

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