[Anonymous]

[ThomasCox]

Will be in Japan for the week of the 16th April, flying BA with a Gold Exec card. Anyone know what the OneWorld lounges are like there (BA, Qantas, Cathay, AA, JAL?) and is there a First lounge available? Thanks.

[RichHI1]

Jal have first class lounge (last visit 2011) . I prefer over the others though I found ANA lounge nicer when I last flew them in 2002. I use NEX amd try to minimize lounge time so other posters who enjoy spending time in lounges may be better guide for you.

[SwissExPat]

Maybe this has changed recently but I flew BA in F back to LHR 2 years ago and the only lounge provided by BA to F passengers at NRT was the use of the general Northwest Lounge.

I was shocked.

[Agamemnon]

I flew back from Narita with BA last year and from memory it was the JAL lounge – turn right after passport control and then down the escalators after the desk.

Busy, but spacious, nice and light and reasonable number of seats. Maybe it’s stating the obvious, but don’t expect much in the way of Western food or nibbles though.

[RichHI1]

I think that is fair. The extent of Western options foodwise is very limited but even so far greater than Japanese selection found in Concorde Room.

[ThomasCox]

Thanks all – I will investigate the options and report back.

[pdwtrip]

Certainly at the end of November it was the JAL lounge – smart with choice of hot western or Aisian breakfast upstairs if you are on the a.m. LHR flight.

Limited snacks downstairs

[RichHI1]

Breakfast Makes sense as Western breakfast like Big Mac has entered Japanese culture. My visuts tend to be late in day as HNL Flights are overnight. As i prefer Japanese food, absence of Chicken Tikka Massala A la T3 lounge BA (complete with congealed skin) does Not worry me. Now if BA had fresh sushi On flights or in Concorde Room with good Sake selection, that would be special. (wiuldn’t turn my nose up At simple bowl of udon….)

[Inquisitive]

BA First and Business passengers are given access to NorthWest lounge. Generally crowded. Drinks selection okay. Food is so so. For Narita, normally people arrive early due to distance, I would recommend to do some last minute shopping (quite good selection of Japanese dolls and artifects) and then go to lounge for max 30-45 minutes.

[RichHI1]

If I remember this lounge is near BA gate but you can use JAL lounge if you flying one wrold and are an emerald card holder. Shopping is cool, there are also some Sony International Stores which sell some Japanese Sony Producst that are multi voltage and worldwide guaranteed unlike UK and US products where the guarantee is not worldwide.
Being Japan there are also limited facilities for smokers in the terminal and one or two lounges. The smoke filled rooms looked like somethinbg out of a Star Trek epsiode when the transporter went wrong. Narita and Madrid are only places I have seen these recently.

[IanFromHKG]

The JAL lounge has the best range of drinks but is otherwise pretty ordinary, although they do have a spa where you can get massages (and the last time I was there they accepted me for the spa even though I was on a CX flight – although I ended up missing it in the end (the massage appointment, that is, not the flight!)). Personally I prefer the AA lounge. Although it didn’t have any separate first class section and the wine is (or at least was, the last time I was there) completely dreadful, it is spacious, light and airy and I think it is the most pleasant of the bunch. WiFi is a bit slow, and you need to get a password from reception.

[IanFromHKG]

PS I see RichHT1 favours the NEX (Narita Express train). I beg to differ, and would recommend the express coaches which are referred to there as “Airport Limousines” (or, more accurately, as Airport Limousine Buses). These run with great frequency and do a door-to-door service to and from all major hotels in downtown Tokyo, which saves you the problem of arriving in Tokyo Central Station – which is the size of a small town but much more confusing to get around – and then having to try to find onward transport within the city. The only exception to this recommendation is if you are trying to leave Tokyo during rush-hour, in which case the timing of NEX is more reliable – but if you do take that route, make sure you have a seat reserved in advance (which your hotel will arrange).

[RichHI1]

Ian, I think the coaches can work for some people ( I get coach sick so blocks for me). Taxis are very expensive and like buses can be delayed in peak hour. Other issue is where you are in Tokyo and also bags. When in Tokyo I usually stay at Westin in Ebisu. So I use the covered
Walkway to Ebisu station and connect in Shinagawa. Works very well as all tokyo trains run to a timetable including subway and Shinagawa is easier connect than Central/ Marunuchi. I have also used Shibuya and
Shinjuku. Agreed easier to get Hotel to book ticket though buying ticket at JR office in Narita is easy. If you carry lots of bags, do not take train
As easier with coach or taxi. If you do not speak or read any Japanese and are a tad uneasy about foreign cultures then use bus. Train
Is comfortable (green car first is worth it in busy periods), fast and
Gives good views of journey which is a fair distance. They were going to build a shinkansen but was cancelled. New trains were put in a couple of years back. I think visitors can use NEX on JR railpass but check before arrive in Japan. Other tip when you buy ticket at Narita get suica or pasmo card( Tokyo’s precursor to London Oystercard.) japanese people pay on their phones. Although phones that use European 3g band will work in Japan the advanced services will not.
There is also a private railway which runs into Ueno, this might be convenient if you are in this part of Tokyo but I have never used.
So I would agree wirh Ian under some circumstances but think you could check out NEX too.

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/

My limited Japanese and exposure to the culture for many years means I am comfortable there. For example, when I visit Shanghai, I have very very little Chinese and am constantly learning new things about the Chinese, so my adventurous spirit deserts me And I use car and driver.
Mind you when they extend the Maglev into Town and Honqiao airport I am tempted by that ( currently stops in the middle of nowhere in the suburbs and you transfer from fastest train in world to Local undergound all stations service.)

[IanFromHKG]

Arigato gozaimasu, Rich!

As you say, horses for courses. If you are walking distance from an NEX station and are sufficiently familiar with the area to make it on foot, then it makes a lot of sense to use it (I have happy memories of staying in the Four Seasons, and asking for a taxi to the station when I checked out only to be told it was far too close for that, and having a bellboy take me and my bags to the station, buy tickets for me, escort me down to the platform, wait for the train and then load my bags onto it – all wonderful right up until I tried to tip him and he (very politely) told me that they didn’t accept tips and have him give the money back to me! – soooo embarrassing for us both).

However, since I am assuming from his question that ThomasCox is less familiar with Tokyo, I stand by my recommendation for the limousine bus 🙂

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