first class trip to japan

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Japan Airlines First Class: What to Expect

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Many travelers consider Japan Airlines’ first class cabin among the best in the world. Its open suites don’t have doors — and yet they feel exceptionally private. The seat is very spacious and feels as if it’s been designed to conform to the contours of your body. The gastronomical marvels prepared by the hand-picked celebrity chefs will make you forget you're eating on an airplane.

Of course, all this goodness doesn’t come cheap. A Japan Airlines first class ticket costs thousands of dollars. But there are still ways to get a slice of the good life even if you travel on a budget, especially if you fly out of one of the 11 U.S. destinations JAL serves:

Los Angeles.

San Francisco.

Kona, Hawaii.

Here’s what you need to know about Japan Airlines’ first class experience.

What to expect flying Japan Airlines first class

Baggage allowance. Your first three pieces of checked luggage (32 kilograms or about 70 pounds each) are complimentary.

Boarding. Japan Airlines first class passengers board in Group 1, together with JMB Diamond, JGC Premier and Oneworld Priority Emerald members.

Lounges. Japan Airlines operates first class lounges in both Tokyo airports: Narita and Haneda. In the U.S., Japan Airlines offers access to its Sakura business class lounges or to Oneworld lounges or contracted lounges where available.

Seats and food. JAL first class suites aren’t as spectacular as Singapore’s or Etihad’s, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a Japan Airlines first class review that doesn’t rave about the quality of the seats, food and service. They’re consistently top-notch.

» Learn more: How to choose a travel credit card

How to book a JAL first class ticket

The easiest way to book a Japan Airlines first class seat is with the airline’s own frequent flyer program, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank.

A first-class ticket to Japan will cost you the following each way depending on your departure location:

Continental U.S. – 70,000 miles.

Guam – 36,000 miles.

Hawaii – 50,000 miles.

Finding a first class award ticket might not be easy. In many cases, Japan Airlines allows you to get on a waitlist, but it may or may not clear by the time you fly.

Unfortunately, the search engine doesn’t initially let you see which dates are the waitlist dates. You may have to click and click until you find the date with availability.

However, there is a little trick that will help you find your coveted first class ticket. After logging on to the JMB homepage do the following:

Go to the "Redeem your miles" section and click "JAL Group Airlines Award Tickets."

On the next page click "JAL International Award Ticket."

Enter your travel information (don’t forget to choose first class) and click "Search."

When you arrive at the page that looks like this, it appears there is availability for every date.

Unfortunately, there isn’t. In fact, most dates here are wait-listed, which you can see when you look at the flights under the tab for each date.

Instead of clicking on every date and getting more frustrated with each click, scroll down the page and click "Go to calendar."

In the calendar view, you can see a wider range of dates with the waitlist options clearly marked. In the example below, there is only one date available for actual booking (Oct. 4). If it works for you, redeem your miles and start getting excited about your upcoming flight.

Ways to get good value on Japan Airlines first class ticket

Book japan airlines first class with miles from other airlines.

The JAL first class award levels are quite reasonable, but earning enough Japan Mileage Bank miles to pay for a seat can be difficult if you don’t fly JAL a lot. You have a few other options. You can transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy to Japan Mileage Bank at a 3:1 ratio, plus you’ll get a 5,000 mile bonus (so 25,000 miles total) for every 60,000 points you transfer. If you go down this route you’ll need 180,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (getting you 75,000 JAL miles) to buy a one-way first-class ticket to Japan, which is a bit pricey.

Fortunately, JAL has several airline partners, so you can book your JAL flight using miles from other airlines. Here are two best options.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska is a JAL partner, so you can book your flight with Alaska Mileage Plan miles. It will cost you 70,000 miles per one-way flight between the U.S. and Japan, the same as with Japan Mileage Bank miles.

You can get Alaska miles from the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card .

» Learn more: Guide to the Alaska Airlines award chart

American Airlines

If you have American Airlines AAdvantage miles, you’ll need 80,000 to fly Japan Airlines one way to Asia in first class. American miles are relatively easy to get with cards like American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® and Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® .

Take advantage of JAL’s generous stopover policy

Japan Mileage Bank has one of the best stopover policies in the airline industry, offering up to three complimentary stopovers on the JMB Partner Airline Award and even more through the Oneworld Alliance. This allows you to see more locations on the same airline ticket, for the same price.

Consider a connecting flight

Sometimes it’s hard to find a nonstop first class flight when you’re paying with miles. Though nothing is as convenient as traveling nonstop from your hometown, when those flights aren’t available, you might have better luck finding award space to your destination from other places.

Sample the cuisine JAL does best

Some of the chefs who create meals for the first class cabin have been trained in Western cuisine. But the best way to get the most from your experience is to select the outstanding Japanese specialties available in first class.

If you're considering Japan Airlines first class

The Japan Airlines first class cabin might not be as fancy as Emirates, or as spacious as Etihad’s, but it offers a super-comfortable chair/bed, impeccable service and food that’s top-notch. The 70,000-mile price for flying between the continental U.S. and Japan is reasonable, but Japan Mileage Bank miles might be hard to come by. Fortunately, you can also redeem your JAL first-class award ticket using miles from JAL partner airlines, such as American or Alaska.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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First Class

Services for first class passengers.

Our First Class passengers will receive world-class treatment when flying with ANA. That means elevated service from the moment you arrive at the departure airport, continuing with luxurious and attentive in-flight services, then sending you on your way after arrival.

At the Airport

Dining/ Drinks

Wi-Fi and Entertainment

Duty-Free Shopping

First Class Airport Services

We strive to make all the steps, from check-in to the boarding gate, as easy and comfortable as possible for our First Class passengers, including priority check in at some airports. Just look for the First Class sign.

If you have already checked in online, there is no need to go to the check-in counter. For more information, refer to Online Check-In .

• See All Boarding Procedures

More Benefits for First Class Passengers

ANA SUITE CHECK-IN at Tokyo Narita

First Class passengers can check-in for their flight at the ANA SUITE LOUNGE at Narita Airport. Find out more about ANA SUITE CHECK-IN at Tokyo Narita .

First Class Priority Baggage

First Class passengers who wish to check bags should proceed to the baggage drop counter, where a baggage tag will be attached with First Priority or First Class Priority printed on it. These bags will arrive first at Baggage Claim for easy and quick retrieval. Get More Baggage Information .

Fast Track Security

Some airports offer Fast Track check-in for First Class passengers, making the security check smoother. Please check the airport guide for your departure airport. Get Airport and City Information .

Priority Boarding

First Class passengers receive priority boarding after those who need special assistance.

• * For information on boarding order, please see Boarding Order .

Disembarking

First Class passengers are welcome to disembark first from the aircraft. If you have checked bags, proceed to Baggage Claim, where your prioritized bags should arrive promptly.

Also, First Class passengers disembarking at Narita Airport can relax in the ANA Arrival Lounge before connecting to a domestic flight or leaving the airport. Find out more about our Narita Airport Lounges .

First Class Lounge Access

First Class passengers on ANA-operated international flights are invited to spend time in ANA lounges and ANA-affiliated lounges. Eligibility for lounge access and service details vary by airport.

• See Lounges Around the World

ANA SUITE LOUNGE

"ANA SUITE LOUNGE" is available at Haneda Airport, Narita Airport, Kansai Airports and Honolulu Airport. At airports other than the above, our partner airline lounges are available. Please see lounge information for more details.

First Class passengers can check-in for their flight at the ANA SUITE LOUNGE at Narita Airport. Find out more about ANA SUITE CHECK-IN at Narita .

• * Regarding use when connecting, please see  Lounge Access for Connections  for details.

Explore Luxurious First Class Seats

Our First Class seats offer extraordinary comfort and functionality. These seats feature fully flat seats, doors for privacy, large LCD wide-screen monitors, closets for storage, and much more. Explore our First Class options below.

• View Seat Maps by Aircraft

This new First Class seat provides the ultimate in comfort and functionality. Each seat features a door for privacy, a 43-inch 4K monitor, a seat that lays flat, plus much more. These seats can be configured to accommodate passengers traveling together. See details of The Suite .

Available only on B777-300ER (new 212-seat) .

ANA FIRST SQUARE

The self-contained shell square seat features high-panel walls and makes the best possible use of space to maximize comfort. Each seat features a 23-inch touch-panel LCD wide-screen monitor, multiple storage spaces, a large, movable table, and more. Available on B777-300ER (212seats). See details of ANA FIRST SQUARE .

Available on B777-300ER (212seats) .

Airbus A380 First Class Seats

These First Class seats feature a door to ensure privacy and are equipped with the latest features, including a fully flat seat, a 32-inch widescreen monitor, a generous amount of storage space and much more. Available only on the Airbus A380. See details of Airbus A380 Fist Class seats .

Available only on the Airbus A380 .

First Class Dining and Drinks

The connoisseurs.

To ANA, a "Connoisseur" is the embodiment of the ultimate host: someone with great knowledge in entertaining your palate. With the professional expertise of master chefs, beverage specialists and ANA chefs, we open new frontiers in the art of dining 30,000 feet in the sky. Enjoy the finest cuisine, only with ANA.

For details, Please refer to  THE Connoisseurs .

First Class Dining

Made with the finest and freshest seasonal ingredients for gorgeous flavor, our First Class cuisine is planned and executed by prominent chefs from inside and outside Japan.

Highlights from the March to May 2024 menu on flights from Japan.

For information on children's meals and meals meeting specific health or religious dietary requirements, please see Children's and Other Special Meals .

Japanese and International Cuisine

We invite you to enjoy these meals created by some of the Japan and the world's most renowned chefs.

ANA Original

ANA Chefs - Japanese Cuisine

The appetizer is broad beans and okara dressed with slightly sweetened vinegar colored in an aptly spring-like light pink. minds of ANA's chefs that offers the bright colors and flavors of spring. March features a bamboo shoot and wakame seaweed stew garnished with young chives and scallops covered in crumbly blanched egg yolk. April and May offer fat greenling fish simmered after lightly floured with Yoshino kudzu, served with baby potatoes fried and boiled in broth and slices of grilled mugwort wheat gluten. The main for March is black rockfish, also known as the "herald of spring." Accompanying is an assortment of steamed seasonal vegetables that includes hosta, butterbur, and bracken fiddlehead with a thick soup of freshly harvested spring seaweed. Deep-fried chicken wings are marinated in salted rice malt and stuffed with egg and cod roe mixed with tofu. The Wagyu beef ribs in April and May are marinated with brown sugar to add body, cooked to tender perfection and garnished with fiddleheads of ostrich fern.

Applicable Routes:  Routes from Narita/Haneda to North America and Europe (excluding late night flights)

ANA Chefs - International Cuisine

The appetizer of rillettes is made from tender braised Japanese Black wagyu beef, accompanied by a duck thigh confit and a liver pâté. The crab and scallop salad is served with a small jar of caviar, offered to your liking. The main dish of grilled Wagyu beef filet is served with an aromatic sauce of freshly harvested spring Japanese morel mushrooms. The accompanying carrots are rolled with celeriac purée and served with tied asparagus. John Dory fish is wrapped first in yuba tofu, then in lettuce, and steamed before being grilled. As you slice into this classically spring dish, you are met with the peppery aroma of Japanese prickly ash leaves.

Light Dishes

We invite you to enjoy these light dishes whenever you want during your flight. You will also find these dishes are a delicious follow-up to alcoholic beverages.

IPPUDO Plant-based "Pla-ton" Ramen

Newly available from December 2022, this plant-based pork bone flavor ramen does not contain any animal-derived ingredients. This vegan-friendly dish will allow a wider range of customers peace of mind to enjoy the richness and depth of Ippudo's popular ramen.

Applicable Routes: Routes between Europe and Japan, and flights bound for Japan from the U.S.A.

OTHER LIGHT DISHES

We offer ANA original brown sugar-flavored rice crackers that are vegetarian, halal and free of 28 major allergens specified by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Beef Hamburger

ANA's Original Curry

First Class Drinks

Sit back and relax on board with one of our First Class beverages. ANA staff and external advisors carefully select each offering.

ANA's Premium Wine Selection

The finest red and white wines from top caliber wineries around the world have been selected to complement our First Class menu.

Around 2,000 brands of wine from 15 countries competed to be served by ANA. Find out more about our Premium Wine Selection .

Champagne Krug Grande Cuvée

Champagne, France

Since 1843, Krug Grande Cuvée has embodied the vision of its founder, Joseph Krug. Every year, a new Édition is created: an extraordinary blend of over 120 wines from more than 10 different years, Blending so many wines from different years provides this myriad of flavours and aromas, something impossible to express with the wines of just one year. ANA First Class has been serving the supreme Champagne since its first international flight, in 1986.

Grapes: Pinot Noir / Meunier / Chardonnay

Available Routes:  First Class on all routes

Château Haut Batailley 2016

Bordeaux, France

With limited market availability due to a small production, this Fifth Growth Medoc classified wine has earned a reputation as a solid, consistent chateau. The flavors are complex and elegant with supple tannin. It is a Bordeaux wine that stands out for its finesse and elegance and breaks the stereotype of Pauillac wines being overpowering.

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot

Rijckaert Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru Sur La Roche Vieilles Vignes 2022

Burgundy, France

This domaine was founded in 1998 by Belgian Jean Rijckaert for the purpose of producing wine that makes good food much better. Taking full advantage of its diverse terroir, it is known for producing elegant, pure, mineral wines. The newly certified Premier Cru vineyard in Pouilly-Fuissé produces white wines that pair perfectly with the rich fruitiness and pleasant acidity and minerality of old vines.

Grape: Chardonnay

Japanese Sake

Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute "Yamahai Aiyama" (Fruity type)

Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute Inc. (Ishikawa)

Naohiko Noguchi — god of sake brewing — has launched a brewery as a new culumination of his dedication to the art of great sake for over 70 years. Aiyama is a fruity sake that elegantly harmonizes the sweet and sour aroma reminiscent of strawberries, the thick UMAMI and the lactic acid sourness from Yamahai brewing method using natural yeast. 19% ABV

Available Time Period:  March 2024 to May 2024

Available Routes: First Class on all routes

Kokuryu Daiginjo Ryu (Light type)

Kokuryu Brewery (Fukui)

Founded in 1804, Kokuryu brews sake that is loved throughout ages with maitaining their policy of making good sake. Soothing scent dominated by watermelon, banana, white lily, and a hint of fresh mint . The elegance and rich taste are well balanced with a long finish. 16% ABV

Available Time Period:  April 2024 to May 2024

MIZUBASHO PURE (Fruity type)

Nagai Sake Inc.(Gunma)

Established in 1886, the first generation of the brewery fell in love with the water of the Kawaba Village in Gunma Prefecture, which is home to the source of the Tone River, and began brewing sake under the motto "making beautiful sake that expresses the natural beauty of the Kawaba Village." This true-to-form sparkling sake incorporates traditional sake brewing methods with second fermentation inside the bottle. Has a flavor of cherry and lychee, and the silky bubbles wraps around the dish like a fairy. 13% ABV

ANA serves matcha to First Class passengers who request it. Enjoy Japanese tea culture, even on board.

Tea Selection

Dallmayr is the only coffee roastery to also have decades of experience with tea. The

company was already purchasing precious tea leaves from special traders at the end of

the 19th century (around 1850). Since the 1930s, in regard to the high quality

standards of the delicatessen in Munich, the Dallmayr tea department was known for

its premium and outstanding tea varieties.

ANA's Specialty Coffee Selection

The Daterra ("from the earth" in Portuguese) is one of the largest coffee farms in Brazil, the world capital of coffee production. As a Rainforest Alliance (*) Certified farm, Daterra has long been committed to the cultivation of truly green coffee using innovative, ever-evolving technologies focused on every aspect of coffee. The superior beans from Daterra produce aromatic cups with a refined bitterness and rich flavors.

• * Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organization working to create a more sustainable world by using social and market forces for a better future for people and nature.

Find out more at ra.org

• Food and drinks are subject to change without notice. Your choice may not always be available.
• Some menu items have been changed due to the shortage of chicken eggs caused by the spread of avian influenza.Details about the new menu items will be available on board the flight. We ask for your kind understanding in this matter.
• All photos are sample images.
• For information on the source of the rice used in accordance with the Rice Traceability Law, see Source of rice used in accordance with Rice Traceability Law (PDF) (Japanese only) .

Search for Meals and Drinks on Your Route (PDF)

Children's meals and meals for dietary requirements.

ANA offers a wide selection of special meals for children and babies. We also have meals for passengers with specific dietary requirements for health or religious reasons, and for those with diet restrictions. Most require advance notice.

Get the details about Children's and Other Special Meals .

First Class Wi-Fi and Entertainment

In-flight Wi-Fi and entertainment for ANA First Class (international flights) passengers.  See details on ANA Wi-Fi Service .

In-Flight Entertainment

Flying in First Class also means you can enjoy our in-flight entertainment in style with large LCD or 4K monitors that make it feel like home.

ANA Wi-Fi Service

All First Class passengers can enjoy ANA Wi-Fi Service free of charge. A free Wi-Fi access card will be distributed by cabin attendants after boarding. The card is valid only for the specific flight.

• More on ANA Wi-Fi Service

ANA First Class Duty-Free Shopping

ANA offers a wide range of In-flight sales lineups. Please enjoy affordable price only available at Duty-Free Shopping.

• Explore In-Flight Shopping

First Class Amenities

To create a relaxing experience in the sky, ANA offers a selection of luxurious amenities to First Class passengers. Feel free to request them from one of our cabin attendants.

• * Amenity services may vary by route.
• * Images are used for reference purposes only.

The Ultimate in Comfortable Travel

Softness, lightness, insulation, and breathability are the deciding factors for a comfortable sleep. Our new feather down comforter is made using Nishikawa Sangyo's proprietary techniques to improve insulation. And our pillow is airy and fluffy, and boasts high-quality Hungarian white duck down for a pleasant rest. The bedding set comes complete with a soft TENERITA blanket and 100% pure organic cotton lounge wear.

Bed pad, Comforter, Pillow

The Nishikawa AiR bed pad is favored by many athletes when they travel abroad. This conditioning pad disperses the pressure placed on your body through a unique, three-layer structure, maintaining a favorable sleeping position and promising a good night's rest. AiR's excellent design is lauded both inside and outside Japan, winning design awards around the world.

Passengers can enjoy a pleasant sleep with our Nishikawa comforter. Produced with Nishikawa Sangyo's fresh up process*, this feather down comforter offers an additional insulation. Encased in a 100% pure Egyptian cotton cover, our comforter is soft to the touch and ensures a good night's slumber.

• * The fresh up process involves fluffing up the down using hot steam, cooling it down and removing any impurities or fibers, and then selecting only the finest pieces.

Made with high-quality Hungarian white duck down, our fluffy and airy pillow has excellent moisture absorbency so that passengers can enjoy a pleasant sleep without feeling stuffy. The pillow case boasts 100% pure cotton and is soft to the touch, ensuring a good night's slumber.

The TENERITA blanket is made from safe, high-quality organic cotton that has passed international standards. With the front side of the blanket made of the finest cashmere, it features both the breathability of cotton and the insulation of cashmere. Made from excellent-quality materials, this soft and light blanket delivers comfort.

Loungewear for Traveling in Style and Comfort

This eco-friendly knitted top and bottoms set is made entirely from organic cotton.

It's soft to the touch and offers a comfortable fit. The accompanying storage pouch also makes it easy to carry the set around. Customers are free to take the loungewear home with them.

Amenity pouch set

An amenity kit with the products is prepared to each passenger, to ensure you have a more pleasant journey on our long-haul flights.

• ANA Original ETTINGER Pouch
• SENSAI UTM THE LOTION II
• SENSAI UTM THE CREAM N
• SENSAI TOTAL LIP TREATMENT
• ETTINGER card case
• ANA original reusable bag
• * The Globe Trotter amenity kit may be prepared instead, depending on the time of year.
• * The pouch shape and color varies depending on the time of year.
• * The appearance and contents are subject to change without prior notice.

Other First Class Amenities

Knit Wear (Free Rental)

• * Limited stock

Routes: All Routes

Slippers, Shoe Horn

Routes: All routes

Postcards, etc.

Post card, ballpoint pen, memo pad

Foot Roller

ANA Original Aroma

Experience ANA's natural, originally blended aroma at ANA airport lounges or on board and spend your time in even greater comfort with a deep sense of relaxation. Learn more about the ANA Original Aroma .

Explore These Other Services

Keep My Fare

Keep My Fare is a convenient service that enables customers to hold onto reservation and fare details if they need more time to decide their ticket purchases (up to 72 hours before ticket issuance). You can apply for the service from the payment screen after selecting your preferred flight and fare.

Pre-Paid Extra Baggage

This is a convenient service that allows you to pay additional charges in advance on the ANA website for baggage that exceeds the free checked baggage allowance. The cost is $100-$200 USD depending on weight restrictions and travel destinations. Apply online after booking your flight.

In-Flight Medical Support

To provide peace of mind to our customers, ANA provides a support system for passengers who need medical attention on board, including 24-hour access to medical professionals around the world.

With our in-flight Wi-Fi, you can access the internet and your email, and stay connected using your smartphone, tablet or other devices. A card with instructions for connecting can be found in your seatback pocket.

Aircraft and In-Flight Service Information

Business Class

Premium Economy

Economy Class

Useful Information

We hope your happy holiday begins with ANA Honolulu flight!

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First Class Flights to Japan in 2024

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$2,879 is the average price for a business class flight to Japan. To reduce the cost of flying with premium cabin classes, travelers should be flexible with their choice of airlines and flight dates. It is not uncommon, however, to find business class deals for as low as $722 departing from United States (found by some users on Apr 21).

Which airlines have business class flights to Japan?

Travelers often pick the following airlines when buying business class flights to Japan: ANA, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, LATAM Airlines, United Airlines, Delta, Air India, Qantas Airways, Thai Airways, STARLUX Airlines, China Eastern, Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines. Whichever airline you decide on, make sure to visit the airline’s website to understand all the premium services offered with your seat option.

What is the cheapest premium economy class flight to Japan?

Travelers who want to upgrade from Economy but find business class tickets too expensive can try flying premium economy class. premium economy class flight tickets to Japan usually cost $1,877 per person, which is still a hefty 35% savings for comfortable seats and some premium services (compared to business class seats for this destination).

Which cabin class is available for ANA flights to Japan?

Looking to upgrade from Economy? The most popular airline with flights to Japan, ANA, has the following Premium Cabin options: business, premium economy. Departing from another origin or choosing a different airline may open up more travel alternatives, if you are still undecided.

Is it worth flying First Class to Japan?

Some travelers think it is, while some don’t. Regardless, the First Class cabin is undoubtedly one of the many most unique experiences in flying. It can be more worth it when the price is right, and that’s where momondo comes in. We help you search from hundreds of travel sites to find the cheapest deals for First Class flights to Japan so you can compare and book your next trip.

Why should I use momondo to find a First Class flight deal to Japan?

momondo collates all your flight options in one place and lets you filter them to find the perfect First Class flight to Japan. momondo saves you time and could save you money on your trip.

Can I find First Class flights to Japan with flexible booking policies on momondo?

Yes. momondo enables you to select and highlight First Class flights to Japan with this policy.

How can momondo help me find deals for First Class flight tickets to Japan?

momondo helps you find the best First Class flight ticket to Japan by providing filters to narrow your choice of flights to those matching your criteria. You can select flights based on numerous factors such as price, departure and landing times, airport and airline.

I’m not ready to book a First Class flight to Japan right now. Can momondo alert me if prices change?

Of course. momondo tracks the price of Japan First Class flights. All you need is a valid email address and we will do the rest; it is that quick and easy.

When did momondo last update prices for flights from United States to Japan?

Prices for flights from United States to Japan are refreshed on a daily basis.

How many operators does momondo search for flights from United States to Japan?

As of April 2024, there are 28 operators available to choose from for flights from United States to Japan.

How old do you have to be to fly from United States to Japan?

The minimum age for a child to fly alone is five, but airlines that offer an unaccompanied minor (UNMR) service may have their own age limitations. Flight duration, scheduling, and layovers are among the considerations that may influence age limits. We recommend that you double-check with the airline you are booking with for travel from United States to Japan.

What documentation or ID do you need to fly to Japan?

The travel and health documents required for your trip to Japan can vary based on your itinerary and personal situation. As a rule, consider having multiple documents such as a national ID card or driver’s license, and a passport valid for six-months after you plan to arrive at Japan. We always recommend checking with your airline or a trusted third party such as IATA to get advice.

An easier way to manage your Japan trip

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Find First Class Flights to Japan

Latest first class flight deals to japan.

Cheapest return prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours

FAQs for Japan first class flights

What is the most popular airline offering first class flights to japan.

Among KAYAK users, Japan Airlines is the most popular airline offering First Class seats on flights to Japan.

Which airlines offer First Class tickets on flights to Japan?

Traveling to Japan and want to offer yourself a First Class experience? Depending on the origin, the following airlines offer seats in First Class: Japan Airlines and Singapore Airlines.

How does KAYAK find such good deals on First Class tickets to Japan?

KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Japan for economy class as well as First Class travelers.

What is the best airline for first class flights to Japan?

The highest-rated airline by KAYAK users offering first class flights to Japan is ANA, with an overall rating of 8.4.

Top tips for finding first class flights to Japan

• The most expensive day to fly First Class to Japan is Tuesday, while the cheapest is Wednesday.

Top 5 airlines flying to Japan

The food was not that good. I liked the miso, green tea, and ice cream. I wasn’t able to put my carry on bag under the seat in front of me. The flight was smooth. Please expand your choices of movies especially the new ones. I can’t choose any of those films. They’re old.

I like the braised beef., miso soup,, and green tea. Very little choices of hollywood movies. The PA announcement in English was not very clear and very soft. I could hardly hear.

More updated movies & Chinese movies. The food sometimes overcooked. Prefer to have more neat snacks in between than just choose from the menu. Please change the menu every now and then. This is my second time flying within one year and the menu didn’t change at all!

Food is lagging. Very poor choice. Like vending machine fast food.

Please change the menu more often. The beef is not tender, more choice in ice cream flavor. Dessert is not good too.

The Experience was fantastic, it's a quick flight so no entertainment or food. Just a refreshment

Again I paid for an upgrade on my credit card didn’t get it need a refund. . American I not good at gettin in contact for refunds.

l enjoyed the variety of good and drink choices. The flight attendants were very quick and efficient to our needs.

-Bathrooms were regularly checked/maintained. -Food was okay, but the miso soup was good. -Top of my foot got bitten by a bug when I took off my shoes and was only wearing my socks. It was swollen and very itchy for several days.

Truly impressive service in the air. After the main meal, they have a delicious a la carte menu that you can order anytime until 1.5 hrs prior to landing. Flight crew were so pleasant and very efficient. Wish I could fly JAL more often!

Good flight. Fiod was ready a bit late hence a hurry to finish before landing. Excellent crew and service

Good flight. The food was served a bit late, hence a hurry to finish before landing. Excellent crew and service

Great to have actual hot tastey meal on a flight. Well done

I commend the flight attendants on our SFO-SIN flight who went above and beyond to provide us with extra snacks and food. This type of service makes the flight experience personal and awesome.

It was a great flight Food was great Crew was spectacular

Seating cramped; close to toilet, foul smelling and noisy, very unhygienic and disease risk Free and paid Wi-Fi NOT accessible at all - misleading advertising Very expensive sunglasses disappeared from back seat pouch. Coffee disgusting and cold

Every thing was fine. Some ild classical Hindi movies should be add

People were so nice! Economy seats were small and cramped feeling for me. I’m slender and 6 feet tall

The singapore airline now compared before covid, I like the service before covid. SQ was the best of all airlines but now I am going to look for different airline if I am travelling in asia.

The stewardess was very helpful all the way. My seat had an issue with headphones and after the replaced and gave me a new pair and noticed it was the seat I got a new chair to sit and a great ride back home

Extra seat belt across the chest 10 minutes before taking off and 15 minutes before landing seemed excessively safe.

The transfer from Domestic and International was a bit confusing but I am easily confused. I did not eat any food, but the food on the other leg was decent. It was nice they turned the lights off on the night flight. The plane was in good shape, but was a little cramped in economy and I am small. They gave me a customs form to fill out and nobody looked at it as I went through customs. Not a bad flight.

My case was missing a wheel on arrival Heathrow and the staff were unhelpful when i tried to get some compensation stating it was not sufficient damage, i only wish that they at some point have to deal with the same situation it put me in, maybe they would change their attitude but overall it was a good flight

We are satisfied with the cabin crew serviceand the quality of meals served.

The aircraft was really old, the staff demotivated and the overall United airline service is horrible

Lunch Food was tasteful and had variety. Seat was comfortable. However, when I was reserving my seats during booking, the seat configuration showed was 3-3-3, but when I boarded it was a 2-4-2 configuration? Also during booking, I had also bought travel insurance together with my TG booking. However there was no confirmation of my purchase from Allianz and TG. After several emails with TG contact, sales, reservation and Allianz was i able to confirm my insurance purchase. When the policy was issued, the birth dates of me and my wife were wrongly stated and I had to go through another round of emails with Allianz to get it corrected. Otherwise any claims would be void! It was indeed not a very good booking experience!

Check in was a disaster. 90 minutes and only 2 economy check in desks open. Had to rush to catch the flight.

food poor i said chiken i got pack a pow breakfast lousey .job to explain wot it was ...

After going back and forth with the airline, they never reimbursed the airline tickets. Went around asking multiple people how to get reimbursed and kept getting put back, not satisfied with their customer service.

No working jet bridge to deplane, with priority customers deplaning last. Followed by bus to terminal.

Comfortable as one can get in Economy, food was very good, staff were super friendly & efficient.

Really liked the plane and business class seat. Food was ok but could be better. Service was very good.

Better connections, much better cabin crew, much cleaner cabin that Qantas, American and probably other carriers.

Better connections, much better cabin crews, much cleaner aircraft than Qantas, American and probably others.

Fiji left without me because American Airlines was too stupid to get to LAX on time. Fiji should have offered a standby on another flight but they told me tough luck. I will never fly with this company again.

The A350 aircraft business class experience was very good. Comfortable and well appointed pod, and supplemental bed pad available for sleeping. Food was very good.

Business class seats and amenities were excellent, crew very attentive. Slept well. Food good, lounge experience nice. Would fly them again. A350 aircraft excellent, very quiet.

The flight attendants were extremely friendly and helpful. Everything ran on time. I highly recommend Fiji Airways.

The experience was lovely in every respect. The crews were delightful.

Very clean aircraft. Friendly staff. New plane. Food quality was good. Not my flavor but I saw the effort.

Very comfortable Prem economy seats for a long haul flight. Had a problem with the tv that the crew fixed so was great!

Cathay Pacific seems to be an airline in trouble and on its way out. Lots of broken or poorly functioning things like entertainment screens, seats, and enough well trained staff to handle a full flight. Sad...

The flight crew was exceptionally good. Personal needs were well met. The food choices were very nice.

I cancelled the flights in good time but could only get a partial refund. I was not warned of this.

Not good. Flight was purchased for my father who needed medical assistance to board and transfer due to a heart condition. No one at Hong Kong from Cathay was there to assist and he barely made the connection. When I talked to him he could barely breath and was not sure he was going to make it. Really poor service even though the ticket stated he needed a wheelchair assistance.

Crew experience was more transnational, seats were so close together (LtoR and FtoB) that it was difficult to enjoy much of anything. When the person in front leaned back, there is no space for me. Sadly it was a flight to be endured not experienced.

While I was in great pain, the seat was sufficiently comfortable to allow me to rest and not be in so much pain.

we were upgraded which was a blessing and tender mercy for us. I fell the day before and was in extreme pain from knee to shoulder. Sitting in a more comfortable seat during the flight was an unexpected blessing and experience.

Very poor check-in experience, and flight meal service was very disappointing with no drinks service or hot meal.

Not impressed with check in desk staff at Vancouver airport. Not a professional mind service and not cared or tried to help. Don’t think I would fly with them again

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Spa at 35,000 feet: A review of Japan Airlines in first class from New York to Tokyo

During the COVID-19 crisis, our team has temporarily ceased taking review trips. However, we have resumed the publication of new, previously unpublished flight , hotel and lounge reviews, from trips taken before the lockdown. To help keep you entertained — and maybe inspire you — we are also republishing a selection of our most popular reviews from 2019 and 2020, including the one below, which was originally published in August 2019. We hope this will help you choose once we're all ready to start booking trips again.

Note that according to Japan Airlines, flights between New York and Tokyo are suspended for the entire month of May 2020, during which the airline will operate a limited schedule to the U.S. serving only Chicago and Los Angeles. This review has been edited from the original to reflect that Japan Airlines no longer serves Tokyo's Narita airport from New York, but only Haneda — and that the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo have been postponed to 2021.

[tpg_rating tpg-rating-score="89" ground-experience="7" cabin-seat="20" amens-ife="13" food-bev="24" service="25" pros="Basically, it was a spa and restaurant in the sky." cons="The lounge situation at JFK, IFE and bedding could have been improved." /]

There are a few things in life I know to be true: I probably wouldn't exist without coffee, any pizza is a personal pizza if you believe in yourself, and flying Japan Airlines in first class was one of the most amazing things to ever happen to me.

(Yes, even more so than Cathay Pacific .)

The service was truly top-notch, the seat was comfortable and spacious, and there was enough food to feed a small army. In short, I felt like royalty, and 12 and a half hours weren't enough.

Let me start off by saying that booking JAL F using miles is a steal . Why, you ask? Well, let's consider the fact that a one-way ticket from New York to Tokyo - Haneda (HND) starts at at least $13,000. As you might imagine, booking the cash price was out of the question — and that's exactly where Alaska Airlines came into play.

Alaska Airlines MileagePlan miles are some of the most valuable miles you can earn. Granted, they're not as easy to earn as some of the other transferable currencies, but there are often buy-miles promotions that allow you to stock up on miles at a reasonable price. Typically, we don't advise buying miles, since the value you get out of them isn't worth it , but if you have a specific redemption in mind, like we did, then go for it.

After a couple of hours of searching on Alaska's website, I found a date with first-class availability between New York and Tokyo that worked with my schedule so we booked the ticket for 70,000 miles and $18. According to our latest valuations , Alaska miles are worth 1.8 cents a pop, making those 70,000 miles worth about $1,260. Which means you could spend $13,000 or you could, you know, not. Like I said, a steal.

[flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Ground Experience" tpg-rating="7" tpg-rating-max="10" tail="JA737J" age="11" departure="12" departure-2="04" duration="12" duration-2="35" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

The check-in experience was seamless, and that's saying something considering JAL departs from Terminal 1 at JFK. Things just worked . I was the only person in line, and the agent was nice and very efficient.

She tagged my luggage to Tokyo and told me that I had access to the Lufthansa first-class lounge a few steps from security. I, being the neurotic person I am, already knew this, as I had researched extensively , but alas.

Now before you get all excited, this was not the Lufthansa first-class terminal of lore at Frankfurt Airport . Instead, it was a two-floor space, one for business and one for first class, with mediocre food and drinks.

As a first-class passenger, I had access to both sections, but I stayed in the first-class section. It was pretty empty when I got there around 9am, and stayed that way until around 10:30am. The bar didn't open until 10.

The hot bar had scrambled and hard-boiled eggs, turkey bacon and lo mein. Interesting choices, huh?

They also had fruit, veggies, cheese and pretzel rolls.

I ended up having scrambled eggs and turkey bacon, which were exactly what you'd expect. I didn't want to fill up too much, either, since I knew I'd be eating nonstop for the next week.

That said, this candy bar was pretty tempting.

Before I went to head to my gate, I decided to stop by the business-class lounge downstairs to see what they offered.

Interestingly enough, it seemed the business-class section actually had more options to eat, though it was definitely more crowded.

They even had bacon!

There was a selection of fruits and yogurt, too.

Boarding was a breeze. There was a small case of gate lice, as to be expected, but everyone was orderly and waited in the appropriate lines.

Boarding was on time and began at 11:10am, and by 11:12am, I was on my way to my seat throne.

[flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Cabin and Seat" tpg-rating="20" tpg-rating-max="25" configuration="1" configuration-2="2" configuration-3="1" width="23" bed="79" lavs="2" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

The 777-300ER is a fixture of JAL's long-haul fleet -- the airline currently has 13 of them, and 4 of the non-ER 777-300.

The first-class cabin is arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration with plenty of privacy. Not as much privacy as you'll find in an Emirates first-class suite , but enough that you won't really see the person next to you unless you go out of your way to do so.

Yeah, I wasn't kidding when I said it's a throne. It even smelled fresh and clean, like a spa ... but more on that later.

My seat, 2A, was very private, even without sliding doors. Personally, I like having a little opening in the divider, otherwise I get claustrophobic.

The seat itself measured 23 inches across and 79 inches when fully reclined.

Here's a little video tour:

Even when the seat was fully upright, I had to stretch to touch the ottoman — and I'm about 5 feet, 7 inches. It's that spacious.

There were a ton of storage compartments, including an ottoman where I could store two of my many bags (I have a lot of stuff, OK?).

I really appreciate when airlines are not only thoughtful about how many storage compartments they have, but when they really consider the types of items people bring with them. In typical Japanese fashion, JAL did so -- and passed with flying colors.

There was another storage compartment to store more items, although it definitely could have been a little cleaner.

I also really appreciated how easy it was to move the tray table back and forth, making it far less complicated to get up to stretch or use the bathroom without feeling like you have to deconstruct the entire seat.

While it was extremely comfortable and far from a terrible way to spend 13 hours — the complete opposite, in fact — my biggest complaint was the bed itself. After I ate, the flight attendant came around to ask if I would prefer a soft or firm mattress for turndown service. She explained that the hard one is good for sleeping and the soft one is good for relaxation. I got the hard one, since I wanted to try to get some sleep.

The mattress pad itself was comfortable, but it was so weird to me that it was just that ... a mattress pad. There was no cover sheet, and the mattress pad would move around, since it wasn't secured in any way. First World problems, I know, but this flight wasn't cheap no matter how you looked at it, so of course I wanted the best of the best. This was the biggest shortcoming of the experience.

The airline kept the cabin pretty warm throughout the flight, so I would definitely recommend wearing layers. I did end up changing into the pajamas they gave, though, and they were very comfortable — and this is coming from a person who pretty much lives in sweatpants and leggings.

The bathroom was small but immaculately maintained.

I was happy to see a serum and body emulsion. The Japanese don't mess around with skincare.

Of course, I had to take an obligatory bathroom selfie. How'd I do, Nicky Kelvin?

An interesting nugget, by the way: I was the only woman flying in first class.

[flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Amenities and IFE" tpg-rating="13" tpg-rating-max="15" movies="140" live-tv="No" tailcam="No" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

A blanket and firm pillow were waiting for my arrival. Of course, I took my time to stretch out, get settled and explore all of the goodies. Love a good goodie.

The amenity kit was designed by Etro. I wasn't really a fan of the print, but then again, that's just me.

Inside, there were plenty of (you guessed it) amenities, including two different types of eye masks, earplugs, mouthwash, a brush, moisturizer, lip balm, tissues and a toothbrush.

They also offered Bose noise-cancelling headphones, which are some of the best you can find in the sky (and on the ground). They were comfy to wear, too!

But the real cherry on top was this baby:

Yup, a face mask! I usually bring my own on long-haul flights — the stale air does wonders for your skin, let me tell you — so it was exciting to see such a thoughtful amenity here. Between that and my comfortable pajamas and slippers, well, I had my own little spa in the sky.

Speaking of TV, though, the IFE system could use a little work. The screen was large but was not responsive at all.

Instead, I used the remote next to the bed. I would have done so anyway so I didn't end up having to do sit ups every time I wanted to change the channel or adjust the volume, but it's the thought that counts.

The movie and TV selections also struggled a bit. They had Hollywood favorites like "Green Book" and "Crazy Rich Asians" but nothing else really sounded appealing to me. I ended up watching "Bohemian Rhapsody" again and two episodes of "Sex and the City" — never mind the fact that they were the Aleksandr Petrovsky episodes, too. I mean, if you're going to have a few random episodes, at least make sure they're the Aidan ones.

The Wi-Fi was complimentary, although it kept cutting out — which was fine by me, since I really wanted to enjoy the flight without being glued to my phone.

My advice? Come prepared with a book ... and also probably some melatonin.

[flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Food and Beverage" tpg-rating="24" tpg-rating-max="25" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" meals="2" champagne="Louis Roederer Cristal 2009, among others" dine-on-demand="Yes" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]

JAL's dining service is called "BEDD Sky Auberge," which they consider a restaurant in the sky. They offer both a Japanese menu and a Western menu. I asked for the Japanese one, obviously. To say I was excited is an understatement.

The food-and-beverage service started off with a glass of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne right after I got settled in my "throne." It was the perfect start to my long journey and weeklong eating and drinking extravaganza.

Though we ended up taking off three minutes after noon, the rest of the service was on the slow side. By 1:20pm, I only had my appetizers ... and of course, Champagne.

Japan Airlines offered three types of Champagne on this flight: Champagne Salon 2007, Louis Roederer Cristal 2009 and Comtes de Champagne Grands Crus Blanc de Blancs 2007.

I ordered a class of Cristal(!!!) to start. It was accompanied by prosciutto, melon and a delicious little mushroom with cheese.

I then ordered a glass of Comtes, which according to the menu, was the gold winner in the International Wine Challenge in 2019. It lived up to the title.

You know you're going to have a good meal when the appetizers blow it out of the water. In Japanese, these small dishes are known as kozara . It consisted of ... drumroll, please ... a grilled flounder roll, grilled lobster with egg yolk vinegar, a Japanese omelet topped with caviar, sea bream with braised soy pulp and a fried soft-shell crab marinated in vinegar sauce. Drool.

Owan , or the bowl dish, was a clear broth with grilled sea bass and winter melon.

Next up was azukebachi , which consisted of broiled eggplant and somen noodles in Japanese broth jelly. I didn't really like the jelly but the sashimi was incredibly fresh.

Dainomono was sukiyaki-style beefsteak. It was a little on the bland side and definitely could have been warmer. For hanmono , they offered a choice of ginger rice or steamed rice. I asked the flight attendant which one she preferred, to which she said, "I prefer the ginger, but I'll bring both for you!" First class has its perks — and yes, she was right about the ginger rice.

Dessert, or kanmi , was black sesame pudding and black tea. I'm not a fan of jelly, so it wasn't for me, but if you like jelly, you'd probably enjoy this quite a bit.

By this point, it was safe to say that I was sufficiently stuffed ...

... which didn't last long because after I slept for a few hours, I was ready for a snack. JAL had a pretty substantial à la carte dining menu. Get ready for this:

• Sliced duck breast rice bowl
• Japanese delicacies, including scallop with spicy cod roe, seasoned stem lettuce and soy-marinated enoki mushroom
• Assorted appetizers, including prosciutto with sesame oil and soy pulp salad
• Eggplant and mozzarella pavé with pomodoro sauce
• Vegetable curry with Hokkaido potatoes and onions
• Creamy corn soup
• Chorizo-and-Manchego cheese quesadilla
• Fresh salad
• Healthy ramen noodles from Kyushu "Kyushu Jangara" (The note said the dish was designed to utilize umami without meat.)
• Assorted cheeses
• Fresh fruits
• A Japanese set plate consisting of:
• Grilled Spanish mackerel "Saikyo Miso" flavor
• Kobachi, or specially selected fermented soybeans
• Steamed rice
• Japanese pickles
• A Western set plate consisting of:
• Beef with rice, bibimbap style
• Tomato panna cotta

Don't worry, I'm hungry just typing that, too.

I ended up ordering soba noodles, because, one, yum and, two, like I mentioned before, the cabin was pretty hot. While they were very refreshing, it took over 20 minutes for them to be served.

About 90 minutes before landing, flight attendants came around with breakfast options. I had just woken up and wasn't really hungry, so I just ordered green tea and fruit.

All in all, they weren't kidding about being a restaurant in the sky.

[flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Service" tpg-rating="25" tpg-rating-max="25" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="Yes" turndown-service="Yes" /]

The service was hands down the highlight of my experience on Japan Airlines (and throughout my vacation in Japan in general). From the second I got on the plane, the flight attendants had a genuine smile on their faces and attended to my every need. Once you go to Japan, you'll understand, but the hospitality in this country is truly top-notch. This flight was no exception. When I told them this was my first time going to Japan, their faces lit up as they asked me what I was doing and if I needed any recommendations. One of the flight attendants even gave me beautiful coasters to commemorate the flight — they're still on my desk! Minus some minor delays with some of the food, the service was nothing less than stellar.

Overall Impression

Japan Airlines first class is one of the best ways to fly, period, not to mention a life highlight that I'll treasure for a long time. While it wasn't 100% perfect, nothing is, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to kick off my weeklong solo trip to Japan. They can definitely make improvements to the ground experience, IFE, and bed, but the service was truly exceptional, and you'll eat so much food you'll swear you won't be able to eat all the ramen, sushi and udon waiting for you when you land. Combine that with the fact that you can fly it for a fraction of the asking price, and you're looking at a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is sure to exceed your expectations.

All photos by the author.

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Best Ways To Book Japan Airlines First Class With Points [Step-by-Step]

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A Look Inside Japan Airlines First Class

Japan airlines mileage bank, alaska airlines mileage plan, american airlines aadvantage, other options for booking japan airlines, great japan airlines first class redemptions, marriott credit cards, citi credit cards, when should you search for award space, first class service, amazing champagne: louis roederer cristal 2009, phenomenal whiskey: hibiki 17, first class suite, final thoughts.

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If Japan Airlines first class isn’t near the top of your list of flying experiences to try, you might want to reconsider.

From the plush lounge to your private first class seat to the incredible hospitality, this is a chance to enjoy pure luxury. If you enjoy Champagne, flying first class on Japan Airlines will be a particularly special treat.

Before we dive into the best ways to book this amazing experience, let’s discuss what you can expect when flying first class with one of the best airlines in the world.

(We’ve also covered the top ways to fly to Japan using points and miles! )

If you fly out of Tokyo Narita (NRT) or Tokyo Haneda (HND), your first class journey starts in a Japan Airlines first class lounge. You won’t be disappointed if you’re looking for a place to relax, have a drink, enjoy some food, or do some work with fast Wi-Fi. Best of all, many Japan Airlines first class lounges feature a made-to-order sushi bar.

Their first class lounges even have self-pouring beer machines that have become a favorite of many luxury travelers.

Once you’re on board, Japan Airlines goes to great lengths to ensure you enjoy all of your food and drinks with true Japanese service. Japan Airlines is known for having some of the best food of any airline.

Although the JAL first class suite does not have doors, like those of Emirates first class , Singapore Suites , or the Etihad Apartments , the dividers provide plenty of privacy so you can feel right at home.

How to Fly Japan Airlines First Class on Points

As an Oneworld alliance member, you have many ways to book Japan Airlines first class award seats.

You can book first class award tickets on Japan Airlines through their Mileage Bank program , American Airlines AAdvantage, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, or one of their many other Oneworld partners. Take a look below at the best ways to book this flight.

The first option we will look at to fly Japan Airlines first class is with its own Mileage Bank program.

Mileage Bank uses a region-based award chart for its flights. This differs from the distance-based chart Mileage Bank uses for partner award redemptions. However, since we are only focusing on Japan Airlines first class flights using Mileage Bank, that award chart will not apply here.

Here is the award chart for award flights between North America and Japan in first class using Mileage Bank:

In addition to the region-based award chart, Mileage Bank also utilizes seasonality for its pricing, meaning that the number of miles depends on when you are flying. You can find the exact mileage required and the seasonality chart on Japan Airlines’ website for all Japan Airlines Mileage Bank redemptions.

During the low season, you can book one-way awards between North America and Japan for 70,000 miles.

It is worth noting that Mileage Bank does not allow for stopovers on its award redemptions, so you would not be able to stop in Japan and continue onward with your first class redemption.

You can book flights on Japan Airlines online by following the steps below:

• Go to the Japan Airlines website .
• Log in to your JAL Mileage Bank account.
• Select Book Award Tickets .
• Select JAL International Award Ticket Reservation .
• Enter your travel information, including travel dates, departure and destination airports, and whether you want to fly one-way or round-trip.
• Select Designate Date if your travel must be on the specific dates you have selected, or Award Reservation Calendar if you have flexible travel dates.
• Click  Next .
• Ensure the flights you select have available seats and do not require waitlisting.
• If you select Award Reservation Calendar, you will see 7 dates for your departure and 7 for your return. Select the dates. You will be taken to your flight options for those dates.
• Confirm that you’re OK paying the Mileage Bank miles and taxes and fees required.
• Select your desired flights and hit Next (assign seat now) so you can select your seat and complete the booking process.

Earning Japan Airlines Miles

Earning Japan Airlines Mileage Bank miles is difficult, as the program only partners with Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio. With every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you receive 5,000 bonus miles.

Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan is another excellent way to fly Japan Airlines first class. The program revamped its award charts, including those for partner airlines, in late 2022. However, in March 2024, Alaska is switching to a distance-based award chart.

For now, one-way Japan Airlines first class flights can be booked starting at 70,000 Alaska miles. This is the same pricing that Japan Airlines charges using its Mileage Bank program.

However, the Mileage Plan allows for stopovers , even on one-way award redemptions, which can provide significantly more value when it comes to award redemptions. You can have a stopover in Tokyo for up to 364 days for Japan Airlines flights by using Alaska miles.

In addition to the stopover policy, it is easier to earn Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles than Japan Airlines Mileage Plan miles.

Check out our guide on the best ways to redeem Alaska Mileage Plan miles for maximum value .

To book, go to Alaska’s website and follow these simple steps:

• Go to the Alaska Airlines website .
• Sign in to your account.
• Search for your desired route (make sure you select Use Miles ).
• Select your desired flight and click Add To Cart .
• Pay the necessary taxes and fees and complete your booking.

You can also schedule a stopover on a one-way award ticket booked with Alaska miles.

Earning Alaska Airlines Miles

Earning Alaska Airlines miles can be difficult, as they only have 1 major transfer partner: Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio. With every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you receive 5,000 bonus miles.

Here are Marriott Bonvoy credit cards we recommend:

Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card

A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Casual travelers who like to frequent properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card.

The Marriott Bold card rewards cardholders for Marriott stays and gives them a boost towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

• Up to 14x points per $1 on Marriott purchases
• 2x points per $1 on travel purchases
• 15 Elite Night Credits each year (automatically gives you Silver Elite status)
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee
• Lower point earn rate than other Marriott Bonvoy cards
• Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status is the lowest status tier
• Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Pay no annual fee with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card from Chase ® !
• Earn up to 14X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Card.
• 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Member FDIC

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• APR: 21.49%–28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual free night award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.

If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card . The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.

• Earn big when you use your card at thousands of participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Earn big at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
• Automatic Silver Elite Status
• 1 Free Night Award each cardmember anniversary (valued up to 35,000 points)
• One year complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription
• $95 annual fee
• Marriott Silver status is the lowest status tier
• Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases.
• Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
• Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
• 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
• Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Card.
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
• The 75,000 or 100,000 Bonus Point Offer for the Marriott Boundless
• 23 Valuable Benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
• Best Hotel Credit Cards for Free Nights

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card , the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2X points)
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• 15 Elite Night Credits per year
• 1,000 bonus points per paid stay
• 1 Free Night Award (up to 50,000 points) when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $250 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit
• Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy ® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy ® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit, available for Qualifying Rates.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Certain hotels have resort fees.
• 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card ® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy ® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Plan It ® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
• $250 Annual Fee.
• Terms apply.
• APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card  is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy   program
• 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
• 25 Elite Night Credits each year
• Priority Pass Select membership upon enrollment
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit
• Annual Free Night Award after card renewal
• Complimentary Platinum Elite status
• Steep annual fee of $650 ( rates and fees )
• 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card
• Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton ® or St. Regis ® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ® : Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck ® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy ® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.
• Best Sign Up Bonuses
• Best Credit Cards with Priority Access

In addition, Alaska Airlines also has 2 co-branded credit cards, both personal and business versions.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature ® credit card

Provides the potential to earn plenty of miles to fly with Alaska Airlines or over a dozen partners. Plus, get an annual companion fare from just $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23)!

With the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature ® credit card in your wallet, you could get great perks and earn miles at the same time. This is a win-win if Alaska is the airline you prefer to fly with! Plus, its annual companion fare is a great benefit for traveling couples.

• 3x miles per $1 spent on Alaska purchases
• 2x miles per $1 spent on eligible gas, local transit (including rideshare), cable, and select streaming services
• 1x mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Annual companion fare
• Free checked bag for you and up to 6 traveling companions
• 20% back on Alaska inflight purchase
• $95 annual fee
• LIMITED TIME ONLINE OFFER — 70,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™!
• Get 70,000 Bonus Miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening.
• Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™. Every year on your credit card account anniversary you’ll receive a companion fare which allows you to book a companion flight from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23). Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
• Free checked bag for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation – that’s a savings of $70 per person roundtrip!
• Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases, 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, local transit (including rideshare), cable, and select streaming services, and unlimited 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases. And, your miles don’t expire on active accounts.
• 10% reward bonus on all miles earned on card with an eligible Bank of America checking, savings, or investment account.
• Priority boarding on Alaska Airlines when tickets are purchased with card.
• With oneworld ® Alliance member airlines and Alaska’s Global Partners, Alaska has expanded their global reach to over 1,000 destinations worldwide bringing more airline partners and more ways to earn and redeem miles.
• Flexibility with no blackout dates on Alaska Airlines flights when booking with miles or a companion fare.
• Plus, no foreign transaction fees and a low $95 annual fee.
• This online only offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
• APR: 20.24% - 28.24% Variable
• Airline Credit Cards

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Frequent Flyer Program

• Alaska Airlines Review – Seats, Baggage Fees & More
• Best Ways To Earn Alaska Airlines Miles
• Best Ways To Redeem Alaska Airlines Miles
• How To Earn 100,000 Alaska Airlines Miles
• How To Get Alaska Airlines Elite Status
• How To Get and Use Alaska Airlines’ Companion Fare

Another excellent and, quite possibly the simplest, way to book Japan Airlines first class is through the American Airlines Advantage program.

American Airlines has devalued its program a few times over the years; however, plenty of value remains to be had. In most situations, the best value to get out of American miles comes from partner awards, which are not subject to dynamic pricing, unlike American’s flights.

For partner airlines, American has a published award chart. On the partner award chart, Asia is divided into 4 regions, and Japan is considered to be part of Asia Region 1.

Here is what American charges for one-way award flights on partner airlines between North America and Japan:

American charges 80,000 miles for first class seats on partner airlines, including Japan Airlines. Although the mileage requirements are slightly higher than with other programs, including Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, the miles are also significantly easier to earn.

Here’s what you need to do to book partner awards with American Airlines miles.

• Head over to American’s website .
• Click Redeem miles ,
• Enter your travel information, including the origin and destination airports, the number of passengers, and the departure date.
• Select a one-way or round-trip journey.
• Click Search .
• Confirm your award space.
• Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning American Airlines Miles

Earning American Airlines miles is relatively simple, as there are numerous American Airlines co-branded credit cards from Citibank and Barclays.

The AAdvantage program is also a transfer partner of Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Bilt Rewards transfer at a 1:1 ratio. Transfers from Marriott Bonvoy occur at a 3:1 ratio. However, there is no 5,000-mile bonus if you transfer 60,000 Bonvoy points , unlike other programs.

Here are Citibank American Airlines co-branded credit cards we recommend:

Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® World Elite Mastercard ®

Status lovers will enjoy the variety of benefits that come with this card. From free bags to reduced-price inflight beverages, AA still flies in style.

Blue skies and fair winds make for a good day to fly! Choosing your airline can be difficult, since factors like location, time, and destination all go into whether or not you can fly somewhere.

An easy choice for many people is American Airlines, because they’re the largest airline in the world. If you’re an American, you’ve probably flown American Airlines at least once.

Frequent fliers tend to enjoy the treatment they can get, from boarding privileges to free bags to lounge access. There’s many reasons to fly with AA, and if so then getting a Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® World Elite Mastercard ® could be for you.

• Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage ® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
• Earn 2 AAdvantage ® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases
• Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage ® mile earned from purchases
• Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees
• First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation
• Enjoy preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
• APR: 21.24% - 29.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 0%

American Airlines AAdvantage Program

Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Executive World Elite Mastercard ®

Access to Admirals Clubs, tons of added benefits, and a way to spend towards elite status make this a great option for American Airlines loyalists.

The Citi ® /AAdvantage ® Executive World Elite Mastercard ® is a go-to card thanks to its exclusive perks and benefits for people who love to fly American Airlines. With a complimentary Admirals Club membership, free checked bags, inflight discounts, and the ability to earn Loyalty Points for every $1 you spend, there is plenty to love about the card.

• Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage ® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening
• Earn 10 miles per $1 spent on eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars
• Earn 10 miles per $1 spent on eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels
• Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
• After you spend $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year, earn a total of 5 miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases for the remainder of the year
• Earn 1 per $1 spent on other purchases
• Admirals Club ® membership for you and access for up to two guests or immediate family members traveling with you
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
• Earn a 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year. Earn another 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same status qualification year
• First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation
• $595 annual fee
• Doesn’t earn many miles on all other eligible purchases
• Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage ® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
• Foreign Transaction Fees:

American Airlines AAdvantage Frequent Flyer Program

• Benefits of the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Card
• Best American Airlines AAdvantage Credit Cards
• Best Citi Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access
• Best Credit Cards for American Airlines Flyers
• How To Get American Airlines Elite Status (And Is It Worth It?)

American Airlines AAdvantage ® MileUp ®

Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on American Airlines flights and at grocery stores, all without needing to pay an annual fee.

The American Airlines AAdvantage ® MileUp ®  is perfectly suited for those looking for a way to earn more American Airlines miles and earn Loyalty Points, all without needing to pay an annual fee.

• 2x mile per $1 on American Airlines and grocery store purchases
• 1x mile per $1 on all other purchases
• 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases
• Other cards are more rewarding for frequent American Airlines flyers
• Charges a 3% foreign transaction fee
• Earn 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage ® bonus miles and receive a $50 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
• No Annual Fee
• Earn 2 AAdvantage ® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
• Earn 2 AAdvantage ® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
• Earn 1 AAdvantage ® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases
• Save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines flight
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%
• Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Cards for Hotel & Airline Benefits
• Best Ways To Earn AAdvantage Loyalty Points
• Best Ways To Earn American Airlines Miles

Using American Airlines’ search engine is a great way to search for Oneworld partner availability.

You can also book flights on Japan Airlines with any of their other Oneworld partners, including British Airways. Unfortunately, the redemption rates on these other carriers are often quite poor.

For example, British Airways uses a distance-based award chart. Flights between the U.S. and Japan are typically quite far, meaning you need to use a lot more miles to fly between the continents. Typically, the best value to get out of British Airways Avios comes from short-haul flights.

First, let’s take a look at some standard awards between the U.S. and Japan. After that, we will look at more creative ways to book Japan Airlines in first class.

If you’re flying from major U.S. hubs, including New York City (JFK), Chicago (ORD), or Los Angeles (LAX), your cheapest option is 140,000 Japan Airlines miles or 140,000 Alaska miles round-trip. You could also book with 160,000 American miles round-trip.

How to Earn Enough Miles for Japan Airlines First Class

If you are ready to book a flight in Japan Airlines first class but don’t have enough miles for the itinerary you want, there are plenty of ways to earn more.

You can  earn Marriott points  and transfer those to Japan Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 rate to all those programs. For every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer with Japan Airlines or Alaska Airlines, you receive an extra 5,000 miles bonus. You don’t get that bonus with transfers with American Airlines.

Citi offers plenty of American Airlines co-branded credit cards that can quickly earn you lots of American Airlines miles.

Finding a first class award seat on Japan Airlines is not always easy, but if you’re flexible with your travel dates, you can create a fantastic trip.

As soon as you have an idea when you’d like to travel, start searching. You might be able to find space many months before departure, but Japan Airlines might not release award space until days before you want to depart. Flexibility is important when it comes to Japan Airlines premium cabin award redemptions.

What Makes Japan Airlines a Great Redemption?

Flying first class with Japan Airlines is a memorable experience, thanks to the great seats and top-notch service and offerings. Champagne lovers get a chance to sip on one of the most expensive Champagnes in the world, for example.

The cabin crew in Japan Airlines first class is second to none. They take great pride in creating an amazing flight experience for passengers, so you can sit back, relax with a glass of Champagne, and enjoy the flight.

Speaking of Champagne, several airlines around the world serve Dom Perigon, Krug, etc. But Japan Airlines stands alone in serving Louis Roederer Cristal 2009, which retails for over $300 per bottle. Needless to say, you won’t be disappointed.

Another huge perk of Japan Airlines first class is the liquor selection. You’re given the opportunity to try Hibiki 17, an increasingly rare and world-class whisky. Because Hibiki 17 has been discontinued, the demand is extraordinary now. Bottles can retail anywhere from $750 to $1,000.

Your first class suite provides a comfortable seat that converts into a nice lie-flat bed. Additionally, you have space to move around and enough privacy to make you feel right at home.

When you fly with Japan Airlines, you can expect an exceptional first class experience . Whether you’re flying out of Tokyo Narita or Tokyo Haneda, you get a chance to experience Japan Airlines’ incredible first class lounges. Once on board, it only gets better as you settle into your suite and see the first class cabin crew in action.

While you can use Japan Airlines’ Mileage Bank program to book your award tickets, you may be better off using American Airlines AAdvantage or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan to book. These miles are significantly easier to earn.

Granted, it’s not always an easy award ticket to book, but you will be thrilled to put in that little extra effort. Japan Airlines award space can be hard to come by, but it is worth taking the time to look.

That said, you may need to be flexible and book either well in advance or at the last minute to score Japan Airlines award seats.

The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature ® credit card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® World Elite™ Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® card, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to book japan airlines first class.

If you are booking first class on Japan Airlines, check  Japan Airlines Mileage Bank ,  Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan , or  American Airlines AAdvantage .

Japan Airlines and Alaska Airlines have the best redemption rates, but booking with American Airlines can be more rewarding, since the miles are easier to earn.

Can I book Japan Airlines first class with American AAdvantage miles?

Yes, you can. Both airlines are part of Oneworld, meaning you can use your American miles to book partner airline award tickets.

What do I get when flying Japan Airlines first class?

Japan Airlines has an amazing first class suite and a cabin crew that is second to none. You also get to enjoy one of the most expensive Champagnes in the world.

If you depart from Tokyo Haneda (HND) or Tokyo Narita (NRT), make sure you enjoy one of Japan Airlines’ first class lounges.

Is Japan Airlines first class worth it?

If you enjoy top-notch service, food, drinks, and comfort, then you should consider flying first class on Japan Airlines — especially if you have enough points to make it easier on your wallet.

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About Spencer Howard

Always a fan of flying, it was only natural that Spencer was drawn to finding a way to improve the travel experience.

Like many, he started this journey searching for cheap flights to take him around the world. This was fun for a while, but Spencer was intrigued by the idea of flying in business and first class!

Throwing himself into what became an extensive research project, Spencer spent 3-4 hours per night learning everything he could about frequent flyer miles over the course of several months (he thinks this is normal). He runs Straight to the Points, an award-seat alert platform.

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UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

Find First Class Flights to Japan

Latest first class flight deals to japan.

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours

FAQs for Japan first class flights

What is the most popular airline offering first class flights to japan.

Among KAYAK users, SWISS is the most popular airline offering First Class seats on flights to Japan.

Which airlines offer First Class tickets on flights to Japan?

Traveling to Japan and want to offer yourself a First Class experience? Depending on the origin, the following airlines offer seats in First Class: SWISS and Emirates.

How does KAYAK find such good deals on First Class tickets to Japan?

KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Japan for economy class as well as First Class travelers.

What is the best airline for first class flights to Japan?

The highest-rated airline by KAYAK users offering first class flights to Japan is ANA, with an overall rating of 8.4.

Top 5 airlines flying to Japan

The space for the seats i like it. Its not too close like other air line. The food is ok and also the staff. I'm waiting for my flight rewards point because until now i didn't recieved it.

The staff, ground and air, at ANA was very helpful and friendly during check in, boarding and during the flight. This is the reason why I always fly ANA whenever I go to Manila. The food was not the best but the flight crew more than makes up for the shortfall.

First I will say this was really NOT an ANA flight. ANA used a UNITED jet to perform this flight. I specifically booked with ANA because I did NOT WANT TO FLY UNITED FOR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS. So to spend $1800.00 and then discover after booking that it was going to be handled by United was very disappointing. I will be more careful next time when I book. The interior was very cramped in economy class; the dinner meal was terrible and also had extremely small portions for an international flight - the bread roll was ice cold and stale - that salad was very wilted; I’ve never had a “snack” that was so salty that it was difficult to eat; the breakfast “waffle” was practically unrecognizable. Really horrible meals for a very expensive international flight. Bathroom floor was also pretty dirty. I’m hoping my return flight is a real ANA airplane that is cleaned and serviced by ANA personnel with ANA meals. I will never book with ANA again if they continue to use UNITED airline jets. Yuck!!!🤢

Ticket was purchased as a United Airlines flight (operated by All Nippon) like what does that even mean? Makes for a VERY confusing flight experience. For instance, what do I look for a United drop off signage and ticket counter or ANA? No explanation anywhere to be found. I also felt a little bit scammed by the obsurdely restrictive seat selection provided. Only middle seats available!! Are you kidding me!! On 6hr + 10hr flights you're forcing me into the middle seat without telling me before I purchased the ticket?? This should be illegal. And to top it off, on the Tokyo LA leg there were quite a few empty seats including window seats! I must also say, the food was a dissappointing as well for my taste, fish with rice ( mostly plain white rice) or a vegetable medly for the breakfast meal? Should be at least 4 choices and at least 1 with eggs. Outside of these issues flight was otherwise ok.

Ground and flight crew were all courteous, extremely helpful and professional. Overall, process is really organized, from boarding to disembarkation.

This is a very long flight and the first time I have flown on a Japanese airline. I was very impressed with the staff. They worked hard and offered food and drink regularly. Plane was very well cared for. The let room was good . Food was ok but better than other airlines.

It was very nice. I was a bit disappointed by the few meal services. There were probably more drink services that I missed while sleeping, but I would have liked the crew to bring more than one drink service before landing and to bring more than one drink service and coffee service after take off

The space and bed was very comfortable , flight attendants very nice. The food was not tasty at all. I ordered the rib eye and it was so tough I couldn’t cut it.

Seat was roomy enough . The Asian selection for a meal was good . The tortellini was not very good. Service was excellent. O

It was very good. Lots of room with superior food and service. I will not hesitate to fly ANA in the future!

Staff was excellent. Food could use more variety. -More vegetable options. Menu didn't have juice or soda listed. -The croissants were outstanding!

Flight attendants rude, they disappear for almost 3 hours not doing rounds to see what people needed. The laboratories were full of empty water cups, because they never come back to collect them.

The flight attendant, where kind of rude, there where hiding for almost 3 hours, without doing rounds to see if people needed water or pickup the water cups, the toilets were full of water cups, because they never come back to pick them up.

The entertainment screens are dated and needs to be changed to new screens. Then when we got home, I found out 2 of our luggage’s were damaged (huge) and some items stolen.

JetBlue's check-in was great, but there was an in-flight attendant who was very rude and unkind. I didn't realize that the bathrooms were already locked 30 mins prior to landing and needed to use the restroom. Instead of politely asking me to return, she rudely told me, 'NO, bathrooms are locked! Go back to your seat!' The JetBlue flight was more than an hour delay, which made me almost miss my connecting flight with Asiana. I understand the reasoning, but the action they took to get a hold of maintenance was time consuming. It took them more than 30 mins to get a hold of maintenance and for maintenance to get started. The Asiana flight and crew were wonderful, in general. They waited for us who were delayed from the previous flight before they took off and were very kind to take my checked baggage's info. Seats were a little uncomfortable for such long flight, but service and flight attendants were great! However, my 3 checked baggages are missing! They're lost somewhere in the transition. I'm writing this review 3 days after my arrival to the Philippines, and my 3 checked baggages, where my wedding dress is, are all still missing! I and the CEB airport crew have sent multiple emails to both JetBlue and Asiana, and neither has responded to any of our emails. Although, I was able to get in contact with JetBlue's Interline Department who confirmed that the bags were turned over to Asiana without confirmation details.

The full flat bed was not that comfortable, hard and lumpy., too much space wasted with those bulky walls and divisions instead of making the bed 3-4 inches wider. The compartment where you put your feet is like a shoebox, poor design. Toilets of A350 are just too small, sink is too small

Airfare was ok . Food not good , seat ok but not comfortable. Lay over too long , crew was ok Overall just ok

FA were very great, plane was A350 new and clean

seat is so tight other then that it was all right

The crew attended to my needs and the foods served are delivious.

The flight was ok. The person who brings tea and coffee totally forgot about us or just walked past at both meals. And special attention is given if you are Taiwanese

Everything was excellent service was good.Only one problem my trip san francisco to tapie was good but the Taipe to HongKong we change gate 3times a lot of walking n everyone has to rush around from gate to gate.By the time to board our flight i felt soo sick from running from one gate to another.That was the only problem i face

The quality of the food is pretty good. Thank you, EVA Air.

Pleasant crew. Very long flight, a bit uncomfortable at times being seated, but not too bad.

1. The entrance to boarding gate G5 (which is at a lower level) is from the walkway (which is at the upper level). That entrance was locked and there was no place for hundreds of people to sit at the upper level, for a long time as the flight was 45 minutes late. 2. The choice of movies on board was extermely limited and poor. 3. The staff was unhelpful and faked politeness.

Eva air is a good airline. The seats on the way to Taipei could have certainly been more comfortable, but all in all it was a pretty good experience.

Staff’s were polite & helpful. Love to fly with Eva Air!❤️

Overall the flight was what might be expected for a long haul flight to Asia in economy class. The cabin crew was attentive and the food was good. Boarding was fairly fast and easy. The one thing I found frustrating was the EVA app. It is terrible. Trying to do anything on it was almost impossible.

Poor services. Not meet 5-star airline standard. Disappointed with the poor food and drink selections. Cabin crew is not attentive at all. They even skipped me during meal service (not sure if it is intentionally).

EVA would not help with ticket issue since they were purchased through a travel agency. Even though it was EVA ticket stock. Travel agency Budget Air didn't reissue ticket after airline change which I didn’t learn until trying to checkin on Christmas Day and there was no contact number for the agency to help. I will never use Budget Air to purchase flight again and disappointed in EVA’s refusal to help. Thankfully just under 12 hrs before departure someone from the agency was available to reissue tickets. I was starting to think we would not be flying and the stress trying to resolve was completely unacceptable.

The food was not that good. I liked the miso, green tea, and ice cream. I wasn’t able to put my carry on bag under the seat in front of me. The flight was smooth. Please expand your choices of movies especially the new ones. I can’t choose any of those films. They’re old.

I like the braised beef., miso soup,, and green tea. Very little choices of hollywood movies. The PA announcement in English was not very clear and very soft. I could hardly hear.

More updated movies & Chinese movies. The food sometimes overcooked. Prefer to have more neat snacks in between than just choose from the menu. Please change the menu every now and then. This is my second time flying within one year and the menu didn’t change at all!

Food is lagging. Very poor choice. Like vending machine fast food.

Please change the menu more often. The beef is not tender, more choice in ice cream flavor. Dessert is not good too.

The Experience was fantastic, it's a quick flight so no entertainment or food. Just a refreshment

Again I paid for an upgrade on my credit card didn’t get it need a refund. . American I not good at gettin in contact for refunds.

l enjoyed the variety of good and drink choices. The flight attendants were very quick and efficient to our needs.

-Bathrooms were regularly checked/maintained. -Food was okay, but the miso soup was good. -Top of my foot got bitten by a bug when I took off my shoes and was only wearing my socks. It was swollen and very itchy for several days.

Truly impressive service in the air. After the main meal, they have a delicious a la carte menu that you can order anytime until 1.5 hrs prior to landing. Flight crew were so pleasant and very efficient. Wish I could fly JAL more often!

The customer service was very poor. I didn’t get any accommodations for my cancelled flight. I was without any sleep for 36 hours.

Flight never took off. Boarded after multiple 30 minutes interval delays for hours.. then after an hour onboard, captain announce cancellation and back on the bus to the terminal with no information and everyone to fend for self.. Emirates did absolutely nothing to communicate either electronically or announcement. It’s unprecedented I know with the flood but lack of communication creates anxiety and extra pain for staff. Emirates should do better.. no supervisors monitoring floor and passengers abusing them which isn’t right but should Have had supervisors monitoring

My Experience was ok. But the gentleman next to me vaped the whole flight and the attendants did nothing, whether they were aware, I’m not sure.

Flight from Dubai to Zagreb very bad cabin crew. Bad food

The entertainment selections are amazing. But the live TV is sometimes spotty. If you’re going to have it, then have it. If you can’t make it consistent, then, perhaps it’s better not to have it. The crew are always cordial when approached, but they seem to do the minimum and sit around, talking to each other in the back of the plane during the flight. I realize that delays are not always predictable, but I missed my flight in Dubai because we left 90 minutes late from Washington. I will say that Emirates took very good care of me in Dubai. But I would rather not be delayed.

Me and 2 other rows were forgotten during food service. We waited over an hour before they finally served our food. Then only had what was left. They did apologize. Also, they locked the bathroom due to turbulence and my 4 year old had to pee himself because they wouldn’t unlock it for him.

Probably the best flight I’ve ever been on. Emirates first class is leagues beyond British airways and Lufthansa’s.

Great flight. Comfortable seats, courteous service, and excellent selection for entertainment.

I liked theAVML food. Taste was alright and quantity was enough. Sometimes during the flight I felt that the smell from toilet was coming to the cabin

The individual attention the crew gives to passengers is commendable and I find them positively helpful.

Book first class Japan plane tickets

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Find First Class Flights to Japan

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FAQs for Japan first class flights

Which airline provides the best first class experience to japan.

There are many airlines that offer a great experience flying First Class from the United Kingdom to Japan. One of those considered to offer a superior service is ANA. Not only will you receive five-star treatment from the moment you book your ticket, but on board the plane you will enjoy a private suite, premium food and excellent service.

Which First Class lounges are there at London Heathrow Airport (LHR)?

At London Heathrow Airport, you can get lounge access with your first class ticket. For example, those flying with ANA can access either the United Club or SilverKris Lounge, for free. These lounges provide you with the chance to relax before your flight, enjoy complimentary meals and have a drink.

Can I stream onto my devices during a First Class flight to Japan from the UK?

Yes, some airlines that offer First Class flights to Japan from the UK provide you with the chance to stream TV shows and films on to your devices. This is great if you are halfway through your favourite new TV series. Air France, for example, is one of the airlines that offers this service.

What is the most popular airline offering First Class flights to Japan?

Among KAYAK users, British Airways is the most popular airline offering First Class seats on flights to Japan.

Which airlines offer First Class tickets on flights to Japan?

Traveling to Japan and want to offer yourself a First Class experience? Depending on the origin, the following airlines offer seats in First Class: British Airways, Air France, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

How does KAYAK find such good deals on First Class tickets to Japan?

KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Japan for economy class as well as First Class travelers.

How much is a first class flight to Japan?

First class tickets to Japan differ in price depending on the departure airport. On average, first class fares cost £5,464 for a return trip to Japan, while the cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks was £4,459.

What is the best airline for first class flights to Japan?

The highest-rated airline by KAYAK users offering first class flights to Japan is Japan Airlines, with an overall rating of 8.3.

Top tips for finding first class flights to Japan

• First Class flights to Japan from the United Kingdom are a great way to travel, with flights taking around 11h 50min in total. Not only will you get a more spacious seat for the duration of your trip, but you will also get a private suite on some airlines such as ANA.
• First Class flights to Japan have very good Wi-Fi packages, so you can stay connected whilst you’re in the air. Whether you need to work, chat to friends or browse the internet, there are airlines, such as Emirates, where Wi-Fi is available.
• You will love the benefits of First Class flights to Japan before the wheels have even left the ground. From advanced seat selection to priority check-in, you’ll get treated like royalty from the moment you book.
• The most expensive day to fly First Class to Japan is Monday, while the cheapest is Wednesday.

Top 5 airlines flying to Japan

Staff was excellent. Food could use more variety. -More vegetable options. Menu didn't have juice or soda listed. -The croissants were outstanding!

Asian Vegitarian food was test less No Salt or pepper served Need to improve with Chef who can caters for Peaple from India I am sure Chef knows different varieties of food Indian People like

The flight attendant, where kind of rude, there where hiding for almost 3 hours, without doing rounds to see if people needed water or pickup the water cups, the toilets were full of water cups, because they never come back to pick them up.

Flew on an Airbus 350-900. Excellent aircraft properly cleaned and serviced. Flight crew was excellent plane departed and arrived on time. The A350 has excellent air circulation far better than the 777. I would recommend Asiana to anyone looking to fly in a clean comfortable environment. This is my second round trip flight from New York to Bangkok via Asiana and I will book Asiana again!

Amazing service and fabulous syaff. Loved the jumbo jet too, comfortable.

The entertainment screens are dated and needs to be changed to new screens. Then when we got home, I found out 2 of our luggage’s were damaged (huge) and some items stolen.

I could not choose my seat prior to check in

JetBlue's check-in was great, but there was an in-flight attendant who was very rude and unkind. I didn't realize that the bathrooms were already locked 30 mins prior to landing and needed to use the restroom. Instead of politely asking me to return, she rudely told me, 'NO, bathrooms are locked! Go back to your seat!' The JetBlue flight was more than an hour delay, which made me almost miss my connecting flight with Asiana. I understand the reasoning, but the action they took to get a hold of maintenance was time consuming. It took them more than 30 mins to get a hold of maintenance and for maintenance to get started. The Asiana flight and crew were wonderful, in general. They waited for us who were delayed from the previous flight before they took off and were very kind to take my checked baggage's info. Seats were a little uncomfortable for such long flight, but service and flight attendants were great! However, my 3 checked baggages are missing! They're lost somewhere in the transition. I'm writing this review 3 days after my arrival to the Philippines, and my 3 checked baggages, where my wedding dress is, are all still missing! I and the CEB airport crew have sent multiple emails to both JetBlue and Asiana, and neither has responded to any of our emails. Although, I was able to get in contact with JetBlue's Interline Department who confirmed that the bags were turned over to Asiana without confirmation details.

The full flat bed was not that comfortable, hard and lumpy., too much space wasted with those bulky walls and divisions instead of making the bed 3-4 inches wider. The compartment where you put your feet is like a shoebox, poor design. Toilets of A350 are just too small, sink is too small

The crew was amazing and really nice. The OS on the entertainment system could use an update, though. It felt old and outdated but had anything you'd need to keep busy. I usually never use it anyways, but that did stand out.

Very good , the weather was terrible, but i admired the professionality and politeness and care from the crew, and the excellent contition of the plane

My flight to Los Angeles was canceled Had to book another flight and you charged me extra $500 Very bad experience

Comfort was left wanting due to such a long flight, made the wife and I wish we could upgrade the seats to Business class or First Class, but did not have that option. Food was good but had very limited options and I have a dietary restriction which was difficult for the staff to accommodate since everything provided came with cheese on it. (Cheese could potentially kill me) Did not have an option to inform the staff until we were already in the air about the restriction and was not provided another option before flight departed.

They were helpful, considerate with asking us for standby preboarding with our infant, gave us toys and excellent service onboard. They were always on time, even early boarding once! All our luggage arrived intact, and they even brought our baby car seat to oversized for us. We love China Airlines!

Staff is friendly, great variety of entertainment, check in a little messy but due to people not listening. Overall a pleasant experience. Would use again in the future.

Better training to have qualified crews and services. My flight was from around 12 midnight Friday Taipei to Vancouver. After two hours first meal (2:00 Am -8:00 ) no crew available for even asking for some water. I was even willing to pay for water. For breakfast after 8 hours the only drink was tea and coffee no water or juice.

3 of the 4 flights had delays despite the weather being fine, but still managed to make all connections

Ask flight attendant for water during flight and she was a little rude get the water.

Baggage made it successfully to destination despite short layover. Appreciate that.

Flight was delay almost 2 hours from Hong Kong to Taipei. Last minute gate change from 24 to 66. Long way walk. We need to run in the Taipei airport to catch our next flight from Taipei to Vancouver. That is so suck!

They asked how much cash i have . I said no cash they said bring cash from atm . Why they even care about my cash.

Flight was scheduled to depart at 1210 hrs. It was delayed 1 hour 20 minutes (maybe for air traffic control reasons). The seats were worn out and very uncomfortable. Lunch was typical for airline. Flight free were friendly.

Flights were both delayed. No luggage on arrival for the whole plane and no contact since submitting a PIR.

Nice selection of movies and TV shows. Plane was generally nice, not the newest but nice nonetheless. However, Emirates should have cancelled the flight, as hardly any flights flew out of Dubai at the time. Flight delays and cancellation was poorly communicated and passengers were left guessing and to their own devices on what to do. Connection desks were staffed too thinly, there was one desk with more than a hundred clients and just one poor lady. When I had my flights rebooked, I was told meal vouchers can be scanned using my boarding pass, nope. Was told to comeback for my hotel voucher, none. Had to book my hotel voucher the usual way through Dubai Connect despite having been told twice to comeback to the counters twice.

The experience was not as pleasant returning as leaving. Went through clearance twice, crew was not as customer focused.

Absolutely terrible delays for 3 hours changed seats after we paid an upgrade on both legs. It appears it’s up to us to request a refund after they down graded our seat. Never again !!

This airline is one of the best Ihave travel around the world well use them again in the future the food was higher quality plus your personal aboard communicated in many languages on our flights 13 this was amazing 👏 🤩 😀 👌 😄 thank you

They had superb boarding (started an hour before flight time). Timely pushback from them gate and an early arrival. Flight and service was very comfortable. I wanted to move my flight to an earlier one, only thing was there was no one at emirates in Heathrow to help. Had to call the call the center and pay to change. There were ample seats on the flight though

More leg room and comfortable seats at least for long flights

Amazing service and food. However I didn’t get chance to choose my own seat which bothered me a little.

Overall good but one thing I didn’t understand is why they didn’t allow me to pick my own seat.

Lovely experience. I feel like travelling in Emirates.. The flights are always superb.Vegan food served was really good..

Extra seat belt across the chest 10 minutes before taking off and 15 minutes before landing seemed excessively safe.

The transfer from Domestic and International was a bit confusing but I am easily confused. I did not eat any food, but the food on the other leg was decent. It was nice they turned the lights off on the night flight. The plane was in good shape, but was a little cramped in economy and I am small. They gave me a customs form to fill out and nobody looked at it as I went through customs. Not a bad flight.

The aircraft was really old, the staff demotivated and the overall United airline service is horrible

Increase the number of available films, including variety. All other aspects were great.

Check in was a disaster. 90 minutes and only 2 economy check in desks open. Had to rush to catch the flight.

I couldnt go on this flight and lost all my money over 1,000 UK Pounds as my visa to Myanmar was not accepted :(

Thai Airways is one of the best airlines in the business. Looking forward to fly again with them.

food poor i said chiken i got pack a pow breakfast lousey .job to explain wot it was ...

After going back and forth with the airline, they never reimbursed the airline tickets. Went around asking multiple people how to get reimbursed and kept getting put back, not satisfied with their customer service.

No working jet bridge to deplane, with priority customers deplaning last. Followed by bus to terminal.

Book first class Japan plane tickets

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First Class Family Trip to Japan

Jal first, starlux, eva, ritz carlton, and conrads.

Table of Contents

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Our family’s annual March getaway is just around the corner, and we are so excited to spend a couple of weeks in Japan to take in the sights, sounds, and, of course, the cuisine. Planning a family trip is always challenging when booking flight awards, let alone in first-class for an entire family. Top that off with exquisite hotel award redemptions, and you have a combination that maximizes the points inventory.

I’ll be sharing not only what I’ve booked in terms of flights (JAL First, Starlux, EVA) and hotels (Conrad, Ritz Carlton, Luxury Collection) but also how I booked them using points and miles while ensuring maximum redemption value to the best extent possible.

Flight Planning

Let’s first take a look at the flights I booked. This took the better part of a full year to finalize. This is because I often book the award flights I find ~10 months out and adjust as better flights become available. This could mean paying a nominal change/cancellation fee, but I have no qualms about this: it is a small price to pay to secure the best flights especially since my travel dates are fixed.

I’ll provide an overview of all the flights I booked for the first class family trip to Japan, including tips that may help you if you’re looking to book something similar.

Flights – Air Canada Business Class

Montreal (YUL) – Dallas (DFW) 27,800 Aeroplan + $111.33 taxes

• This flight was booked approximately T-6 weeks out at an Economy Latitude fare and e-upgraded
• The Aeroplan points were earned through a plethora of credit cards (too many to list)
• Air Canada status to upgrade was achieved by holding the Chase Aeroplan credit card and a status extension from Air Canada for my 50k status.

Air Canada A220 Business Class

Flights – Japan Airlines First Class

Dallas (DFW) – Tokyo (HND) 80,000 AAdvantage + $5.60 taxes

• Booked just weeks before departure.
• Points earned by transferring from RBC Avion, which were earned from the various RBC credit cards available in Canada. Avion transfers to AAdvantage at a rate of 1:0.7. Note that RBC sends to AAdvantage every Thursday night; transfers are not instant.
• If you want to fly JAL, here are some tips:
• British Airways Avios has access to JAL award flights at the end of the calendar before AAdvantage and Alaska, albeit at a higher cost in points and taxes. Only 1 seat is released at this time, and this is subject to change.
• JAL First release patterns are ever-changing, but the patterns stay constant for a period before changing again. What this pattern is an exercise for you to figure out. 🙂
• Awards are released at different times for each city pair.
• Award seats will only be released close in if unsold seats exist (Fx, where x > 0).
• Award tickets are such high in demand that seats are booked within 1-2 minutes of release. Some programs can have access to seats minutes before others.
• The new JAL A350-1000 First Class (and business) class cannot be booked through the conventional AAdvantage, Alaska, Avios methods.
• Check out more JAL First hints on a What Did You Book? – Atlantis Paradise Island and Top 3 Flight Bookings

Japan Airlines First Class

Flights – Starlux A350 Business Class

Osaka (KIX) – Taipei (TPE) 15,000 Alaska Mileage + $41.60 taxes

• Booked in September 2023 (T-6 months out) when Starlux awards became available through Alaska
• Points earned from the legacy Canadian Alaska Airlines credit cards, Marriott Bonvoy Transfers, Point purchases, and other “fabrication” methods.

Starlux A350 Business Class, source: Business Insider

Flights – EVA Air Business Class

Taipei (TPE) – Toronto (YYZ) – Ottawa (YOW) 88,200 Aeroplan (Flex) + $91 taxes

• Booked May 2023 (T-10 months out) when EVA Air released a plethora of seats through Aeroplan.
• Aeroplan’s dynamic pricing through the Toronto-Ottawa route worked in my favour, effectively lowering the price to less than a Taipei-Toronto flight.

EVA Air 777 Business Class, source: theluxurytravelexpert.com

Flights – Takeaway

As we move further past the COVID-19 era of flight award abundance, I hear more of folks having trouble finding award space. Social media has further fueled this, with influencers flexing their fancy flights without detailing how they were booked. I hope this flight planning exercise for a family of 3 to Japan will inspire others to not give up and continue the hunt for flights they aspire to take.

What are 3 key takeaways from what I’ve written thus far?

• Have your points diversified in different award programs and/or in transferrable currencies like American Express Membership points or RBC Avion.
• Study award release patterns, use tools, stay up to date on large award seat releases, and, most importantly, be involved in points and miles communities.
• If you can’t do #2, consider hiring a travel consultant (not me!), but remember that no one can do a better job than you if you really want something.

Hotels Planning

I was blown away by the astronomical costs of the hotels in Japan ($800+/night). Prices have skyrocketed so much in the post-COVID era that it has become hard to justify spending cash over points at many properties.  In fact, I booked all but 3 nights of my entire 16 day vacation on points, which I rarely do.  Let’s dive right in.

Hotels – Grand Hyatt DFW

$247 (1 night at a negotiated rate)

• The Grand Hyatt DFW is the only property connected directly to the terminal building, which felt like an excellent option given our late-night arrival and mid-morning flight.

Hotels – Conrad Tokyo

380,000 Hilton Honors Points (5 nights)

• With the best cash rates at over USD 700+ per night, using 380,000 points was the better incentive, especially with the 5 th night free when you redeem 4 free nights.
• Hilton Points were acquired through the plethora of US Amex credit cards

Hotels – Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

USD 568 (1 night)

• This is an all-inclusive Ryokan with a private Onsen in each room. It is located in the beautiful mountainous region of Hakone.
• I booked through Citi Travel using my Citi Premier card, which gave me a $100 travel credit in addition to 10x points earned.

Hotels – Ritz Carlton Kyoto

3,000 Bonvoy points/night + 2 x Free Night Award Certificates (2 nights)

• It’s well known that the Ritz Carlton Kyoto is a top redemption in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio with cash rates north of $1800/night, especially if you have a free night award (FNA) certificate valued at 85,000, which I’ve acquired from my US Amex Brilliant credit card.
• Certain US Amex cards ran a promo in the late fall of 2023 to acquire an additional FNA after spending $4000. This is how I ended up with 2 x 85,000 FNAs. This effectively saved me 170,000 Bonvoy points.
• I utilized hotel award alert websites to stay informed of fluctuating rates and secured the lowest amount over 85,000. This exercise resulted in several reservations, cancellations, and rebookings. It’s just how you beat the Bonvoy at its own game.

Hotels – Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto

130,000 Bonvoy Points + 2 x Free Night Award Certificates (3 nights)

• Another top redemption property as part of the Marriott’s Luxury Collection portfolio with rates once again north of USD 1000+/night
• The cost breakdown was 2 x FNA with a 13,000 top-up per night as the rate was 98,000 per night. The 3 rd night was straight points at 104,000.
• I used my wife’s FNAs, which she acquired from her US Amex Bonvoy Brilliant credit card and the additional FNA she acquired from the Fall 2023 promo.

Hotels – Conrad Osaka

2 Free Night Awards (2 nights)

• This property was booked using 2 x Hilton Free Night Awards acquired from my US Hilton Aspire and Surpass credit cards. The point equivalent value was 95,000, and the cash rate was approximately ~USD 650. While this is not an optimal use of an FNA, I’m happy with it, given that the FNAs are expiring soon.

Hotels – W Taipei

$227 (1 night at a negotiated rate + extra 20% off)

• This property was chosen based on positive feedback from many people.

A two-week first-class family trip to Japan is challenging to accomplish on points and miles, even for the seasoned points guru. Inflated hotel costs in Japan, combined with scarce transpacific award space in premium cabins, have frustrated many folks. However, it’s not impossible with the right strategic approach, and I’ve tried to demonstrate this so that it may help others reach their travel goals.

Bucket List: Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade NYC, on points

Loyalty program strategy for beginners – part 1.

I think business class award for YYZ-TPE on aeroplan is 75K, you mentioned you paid 88.2K, I’m trying to figure out how did dynamic price work in your favour, unless I missed something, please let me know, thanks for many used tips, thumbs 👍

Hi Robert. YYZ-TPE is just over the 7500 threshold so the fare is 87,500 on business low fare

Great post Sash !!

You mentioned using British Airways to find availability on JAL 1st since BA’s calendar extends longer.

Can I use that calendar to find availability But then call Alaska Miles call center to book the flight Even though it doesn’t show on alaska’s calendar of availability, to save on the taxes ?

Hi Anthony. No, you cannot call Alaska to book an award beyond its calendar window. Agens don’t have any more access than what you see on the website.

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9 Tips for Your First Trip to Japan

Rail passes, airport choices, accommodation info, & more

Traveling somewhere new comes with a wide mix of emotions – there's often excitement and anticipation of what's to come, combined with some trepidation or anxiousness about being in a completely different country.

Often, that trepidation or anxiety can be eased when you know what to expect, so we've put together a beginners guide to Japan. The goal of this compilation is to answer some of the questions we regularly receive via our social media channels, plus some things our own staff would have liked to know when they first came to Japan!

Where to fly into?

One of the first things to consider when heading to Japan is where you'll be flying into. Many first timers opt to head to Tokyo, which is served by two international airports – Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT). Something that visitors aren't often aware of is the difference in distance between them. Haneda is located under 20 kilometers from popular tourist areas like Shinjuku and Shibuya, whereas Narita is located in Chiba Prefecture about 80 kilometers away from the heart of Tokyo. Factor this in when you book your flights!

Transport Tips

A question we receive quite regularly is "should I get a JR Rail Pass or not?", and the answer really comes down to how much ground you plan on covering. At the time of writing, the price of a 7 day rail pass is close to 30,000 JPY, and the 14 day pass is just over 47,000 JPY. When you compare the price to a one-way ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto at 13,320 JPY for an unreserved seat, you can see that the pass pays for itself fairly quickly if you're chalking up some kilometers.

If you're basing your stay in Tokyo, one economical way to get around is the Tokyo Metro one-day pass. Priced at ¥600 for adults and ¥300 for children, the pass includes unlimited rides on Tokyo Metro lines for 24 hours from its first use. The passes can be purchased in advance or on the day, with on the day tickets available via ticket machines at all Tokyo Metro stations.

Getting yourself a PASMO or Suica card is another good option if you're predominantly staying in the one locale. These tap-and-go electronic money cards can be used on train and bus networks, plus they can be used as a means of payment at convenience stores, many vending machines, and even some retail outlets. You can find more information about PASMO cards here, and more information about Suica cards here.

Something to note when you disembark at a train station is which exit you should head out from. Many stations have numerous exits, and heading out the wrong one can put you on the opposite side of where you need to be. We recommend checking a map before randomly picking any exit, so you can be closest to your intended destination.

Some people opt to rent a car for their Japan travels, and this guide on our site covers some of the basics you need to know if you're intending to do that. It's also helpful to know how to fuel up a vehicle, and we've got an instruction guide for that here.

Cash or Card?

Unlike some destinations, Japan still has many stores and restaurants that don't offer card payment facilities. Because of this, it's useful to keep some cash on you to avoid being caught out.

While on the topic of cash, Japan doesn't have a culture or custom of tipping. If you do leave cash on a cafe or restaurant table as a tip, it's likely you'll have a staff member chase you down the street to return your money!

Which accommodation option to choose?

Accommodation options in Japan run the gamut, from size to price. Some types to consider include:

• Capsule Hotels: these are small, pod-like structures that basically fit a bed mattress and not much else. At these hotels, bathroom facilities are communal, so keep that in mind if you would prefer more privacy. Capsule hotels can be a great option for solo travelers on a budget, and there are capsule hotel chains who offer male-only or female-only lodging if you would prefer that.
• Business Hotels: There are several different business hotel chains in Japan, including the likes of APA, Route Inn, and Dormy Inn to name just a few. They are typically small in size but clean and conveniently located near stations to cater to their business clientele.
• Love Hotels: Despite their reputation for being places for some *ahem* quality time, love hotels can serve as an inexpensive, clean, and convenient place to stay. Many love hotels offer automated self check-in and check-out options, which is great if you intend to arrive or leave outside standard hours. Some also have quirky decor themes which can be fun if you're looking for something unique.
• Minshuku: Often referred to as Japan's bed and breakfast option, minshuku are a way to enjoy an authentic Japanese experience with your stay. Something to note about minshuku is that it's common for bathroom facilities to be shared between others staying there, so be sure to check when booking if this is something that would bother you.
• International Hotel Chains: There are also numerous international hotel chains to choose from, including the likes of Hilton, Marriott, and Westin to name just a few. If you're after familiarity when it comes to your accommodation, these chains can be a good option.
• Ryokan: these are traditional Japanese inns, and usually come with meals (primarily breakfast and dinner) included with the room rate. If you have allergies or intolerances, it's recommended to advise your ryokan of this ahead of time so they can work to accommodate your preferences.

Best time of year to visit

It's important to mention that the best time of year is going to be different for everyone based on their own personal interests. For instance, one person may hate the cold, another may adore skiing and snowboarding – so winter might be great for one traveler and not so much for others!

Weather-wise, two of the most pleasant times of year to visit are spring and autumn. They're also two times of year with some stunning natural beauty to enjoy in the form of cherry blossoms and changing leaves respectively.

Something to keep in mind when planning your visit is Japan's schedule of national holidays. One time of year that can present challenges for travelers is Golden Week , a string of public holidays running from April 29th until May 5th annually. During this period, many people travel to visit family or plan their own getaways, meaning that roads are congested, trains and flights are often booked well in advance, and accommodation options are often more expensive during this peak timeframe.

What does Japan think about ink? Long story short, tattoos have associations with yakuza (organized crime syndicate members) here, and tattoos are often still prohibited at places like onsen (hot springs), water parks, and even some public beaches.

If you do have tattoos, there are a couple of options. First, if your tattoos are small, some people opt to cover them with waterproof band-aids and try their luck. A safer approach is to visit places that have a more open mindset regarding tattoos, and using a website like Tattoo Friendly Japan to help narrow down those destinations is useful.

If you are particularly enthusiastic about visiting an onsen, opting for a private one can be a stress-free approach with respect to both tattoos and then idea of being naked around a bunch of strangers – the latter is quite an adjustment for visitors from certain countries.

What to do if you're an early riser

One thing becomes apparent in Japan very quickly – many places (cafes, restaurants, supermarkets) don't open until 10am or later. This is where convenience stores come in handy! Three of the major convenience store chains here are 7-11, Lawson, and Family Mart, and they're places where you can grab a morning coffee or tea, full meals and snacks, toiletries, and plenty more.

Once you're fueled up for the day, temples, shrines, and parks are good options to explore bright and early. These places are often open 24 hours (although not in all cases, so be sure to Google your intended destination to double check!) and can provide a serene and culture-filled start to your morning.

Helpful apps and websites

With most of us traveling with smartphones in our pockets, downloading a few apps ahead of time can be particularly handy. Some that we'd recommend include:

• Google Maps – a must for getting from A to B, pinning spots you'd like to visit, and even working out which trains to catch. Pop your departing station and arriving station into the app, tap the transit icon, and voilà – you've got the routes right in front of you.
• Google Translate – this comes in super handy for things like deciphering restaurant menus or being able to ask someone for help if you don't speak Japanese. If you download the offline version ahead of time you'll still be able to translate things without an internet connection.
• Gurunavi – this website makes picking somewhere to eat a breeze. You can filter by the area you're visiting and the type of cuisine you're seeking, and it will provide a variety of results. There is also an app version, but at the time of writing it is only available in Japanese.
• Halal Friendly Japan – if you're Muslim and looking for halal eateries during your visit, download Halal Friendly Japan. The app helps you find halal restaurants and cafes based on your destination.
• Happy Cow – This website (also available in app form) is useful for vegan and vegetarian travelers looking for plant-based places to eat.

Staying connected on your visit

Another regular question we get asked is how to stay connected during your travels. There are two main options – SIM cards or portable WiFi devices – and there are several companies that provide those services. For sim cards, Mobal is one convenient choice, and they offer various plan lengths with different features.

Portable WiFi is another popular way to stay online, and there are numerous companies that offer these devices. Checking the website of the airport you're flying into can be helpful in establishing where to find either SIM card providers or portable WiFi devices, for instance:

• Tokyo Haneda SIM + Portable Wifi Services
• Tokyo Narita SIM + Portable Wifi Services
• Kansai Airport SIM + Portable Wifi Services
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Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

The Perfect 7-Day Japan Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

Japan captured my heart from the moment I firs visited. The delicious food, the rich culture, breathtaking landscapes, vibrant history, and the very friendly and polite people – it all blew my mind.

But Japan often feels impenetrable, especially to first-time visitors. While I think Japan deserves a minimum of 10 days, I get that some people might only have a week, so I wanted to write this, my ideal seven-day itinerary for Japan for a first-time visitor.

With only a week, there’s not much you can see unless you really rush it. And I don’t think you should do that.

So this itinerary only focuses on Tokyo and Kyoto (the most popular destinations) as well as some day trips from each. If you wanted to rush things a little, you could add in Osaka (more on that at the end).

(Note: If you purchased a Japan Rail Pass , activate it on arrival. That way, you can take advantage of the free JR trains throughout the city.)

Table of Contents

Japan Itinerary Day 1: Tokyo

Japan itinerary day 2: tokyo, japan itinerary day 3: tokyo, japan itinerary day 4: kyoto, japan itinerary day 5: kyoto, japan itinerary day 6: nara, japan itinerary day 7: tokyo, an alternative itinerary.

Tsukiji and Toyosu Fish Markets Cure your jet lag with some food! In 2018, Tokyo’s main fish market moved to Toyosu. It is now twice the size of Tsukiji (the old one), making it the largest such market in the world. Here you can eat fresh sushi for breakfast, just a few feet from where it was hauled in from the sea, while marveling at the chaotic atmosphere.

You can still head to the old market in Tsukiji to eat, shop, and wander as well. I like it a lot, because there are more food options! Food and drink tours of the Tsukiji Outer Market are available for around 15,000 JPY.

Toyosu Fish Market is open Monday-Saturday 5am-5pm, though most shops don’t open until 7am. Admission is free, but you have to pick up a visitor’s pass when you enter. Tsukiji Fish Market’s hours vary by shop (usually 5am-2pm). Admission is free.

teamLab Planets This digital art installation is a multi-sensory and immersive experience in which you become part of the artwork, walking barefoot through the four exhibition spaces and gardens as you interact with the installations’ elements in unique ways. It’s really fun! TeamLab is generally sells out in advance, so I recommend getting your tickets online ahead of time .

Take a walking tour Walking tours are a great way to get the lay of the land while connecting with a local guide. I always go on one or two when I arrive somewhere. Tokyo Localized offers many free tours, including a classic overview and ones of both the famed Harajuku and Shinjuku neighborhoods. Its Imperial Palace tour would be the most convenient one after teamLab.

The Imperial Palace Formerly Edo Castle, the Imperial Palace was built in the 15th century, and some of the walls and moats from that time are still in use to this day. When the emperor moved from Kyoto to Tokyo in 1869, he took Edo for his new palace and renamed it. While you can’t go inside, it is surrounded by beautiful grounds, a moat, and a park worth wandering through. You can also see the changing-of-the-guard ceremony (though it’s relatively low-key and unassuming). Admission to the grounds is free.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden This park is over 144 acres and home to some 20,000 trees. Most of the original park was destroyed in World War II but was rebuilt and reopened in 1949. During spring, it is one of the best places to see cherry blossoms. My favorite area is the landscape garden, which has several ponds with bridges and islands. It’s a peaceful oasis away from the urban hustle and bustle.

Depending on how you feel relative to your jetlag, you could fit a few more activities before you end your day. Check out this post for suggestions .

• Senso-ji – This is Tokyo’s most popular and famous temple. Beautifully painted, it sits in a scenic spot near a pagoda and the lovely Kaminari Gate. There’s a huge statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, inside the main hall. It’s very busy during the day, so maybe check out the grounds in the evening.
• Asakusa Shrine – This nearby Shinto shrine is much more peaceful, with fewer visitors, but with people praying, meditating, or performing traditional rituals. It was built during the Edo period (1603–1868) and survived the air raids of World War II.

Afterward, head to Ueno Park . Spanning over 133 acres, Ueno Park was established in 1873 on land formerly owned by a 17th-century Buddhist temple. It gets super busy in cherry blossom season, as there are over a thousand trees here. Throughout, you’ll find various stalls and vendors selling snacks, drinks, and souvenirs. On weekends, there are usually cultural events or festivals showcasing traditional arts, music, and dance. Four of Tokyo’s main museums are here:

• Tokyo National Museum – Established in 1872 on the north end, this massive building is the oldest and largest art museum in Japan. It houses one of the world’s largest collections of art and artifacts from Asia, particularly Japan.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum – This museum showcases rotating exhibitions of contemporary and traditional Japanese art.
• National Museum of Nature and Science – This museum features a wide range of permanent and temporary exhibitions covering natural science and history.
• Tosho-gu Shrine – This beautiful 17th-century Shinto shrine has carved gold doors and other ornate carvings. It’s worth seeing up close!

Afterward, walk down to Akihabara to explore the video game parlors, arcades, and anime shops. This very buzzy area is ground zero for all things electronic, and it’s fun to play many of the games. This is where you’ll find the famous maid cafés, where servers dress up as maids and serve you food and drinks. These range from big touristy ones to holes-in-the-wall (the girls on the street are promoting the latter, which are a lot more culturally fun). They aren’t cheap, though, as you have to buy drink packages and pay a fee, but they’re kitschy and fun.

In the evening, visit Shinjuku and then drink in Golden Gai . In Shinjuku, you’ll find a plethora of cool bars, bright lights, and tiny hole-in-the-wall eateries. Be sure to wander down Memory Lane (aka Piss Alley) for tiny izakaya joints and bars. Afterward, head over to Golden Gai, a warren of narrow alleyways with a bit of a red-light-district feel, flanked by diminutive backstreet bars. It’s quite touristy but also a lot of fun. I’ve had some wild nights here!

With Arigato Tours , you’ll learn about the neighborhood while stopping to sample Japanese classics like sushi, yakitori, and ramen. The 23,900 JPY cost includes a drink and dishes at four stops.  

Kamakura Here you can see a 13-meter (43-foot) bronze statue of Buddha that was built in 1252. It was initially constructed within Kotoku-in Temple, but that has since been washed away by several storms, so it now sits in the open air. Admission to enter the temple grounds is 300 JPY, while it’s 20 JPY to go inside the statue. The journey there — around an hour — is free with a Japan Rail Pass .

Tokyo Disneyland I’m a sucker for Disney. You’ll find many of the same classic rides from Disney World here, like Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, and everyone’s favorite teacup ride, The Mad Tea Party. But there are several unique attractions as well, like Pooh’s Hunny Hunt and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Ticket prices vary depending on the day and time, but full-day admission begins at 7,900 JPY for adults and 4,400-6,200 JPY for children. It’s best to book in advance .

Mount Fuji Mount Fuji is located an hour outside of Tokyo. An active stratovolcano (which last erupted in 1708) and covered in snow for almost half of the year, it stands an impressive 3,776 meters (12,389 feet) and provides one of the most iconic views in the country. One of the Three Holy Mountains of Japan, Mount Fuji is both a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and a UNESCO Cultural Site. In the summer, the mountain is open to hikers, who take 5-12 hours to reach the summit (traditionally, they depart at night to arrive at the top for the sunrise).

If you don’t want to hike, you can simply visit on a day trip. There are buses that can take you partway up, where you’ll be offered sweeping vistas of the surrounding area. Guided day tours from the city cost around 12,000 JPY.  

Wander the Bamboo Forest For a relaxing break, head to Arashiyama and let the dense and towering stands of bamboo envelop you. Located near the famous Tenryu-ji temple, it’s one of the most beautiful places in the entire country. It’s not that big, but there are some hidden areas to explore. Just make sure to arrive early if you want to enjoy it without the crowds (it fills up fast after sunrise).

While there, I would also recommend visiting the Okochi Sanso Garden, which (along with the home) belonged to the famous Japanese actor Denjir? ?k?chi (1898–1962). It’s not free (it’s 1,000 JPY), but it’s really nice and has some wonderful views.

Visit the Golden Pavilion Originally built in the late 14th century as a retirement villa for the shogun (military governor), this iconic structure was later converted into a Zen Buddhist temple. The present-day edifice dates only to the 1950s, however, when a monk attempting to kill himself burned the historic original to the ground. The rebuilt temple is covered in brilliant gold leaf, symbolizing purity and enlightenment. Each of the three stories exhibits a different architectural style. Completing the scene are the serene reflecting pool and traditional Japanese gardens that contain lush foliage, manicured trees, and scenic walking paths.

1 Kinkakuji-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, +81 075-461-0013, shokoku-ji.jp. Open daily 9am-5pm. Admission is 500 JPY.

Admire Ryoan-ji Temple This is my favorite temple in Kyoto. Originally established in 1450 as a residence for a high-ranking samurai, it was soon converted into a Zen temple and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a mausoleum that houses the remains of seven emperors. Its traditional rock and sand garden is considered one of the best in the country. There’s also a teahouse where you can experience the traditional Japanese tea ceremony ( chanoyu ) as you overlook the Kyoyochi reflecting pool.

There are other temples in the area to check out as well:

• Daitoku-ji Temple – This massive complex dating back to 1315 covers almost 60 acres. It contains several dozen temples and is a good place to see a variety of Zen gardens and architectural styles. It’s also deeply linked to the Japanese tea ceremony, as several of the country’s most noteworthy masters studied here.
• Toji Temple – This is home to Japan’s tallest pagoda (five stories high). Founded in 796, just after Kyoto became the capital, it was one of only three Buddhist temples allowed in the city.

Go on a sake brewery tour Kyoto has a sake (rice wine) brewing tradition going back 400 years and is known for some of the best in the world, due to using the area’s pure natural spring water in the brewing process. Arigato Tours offers an excellent three-hour tour of Fushimi (the brewing district) for 23,320 JPY, including stops at several breweries, a guided tour of the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, and tastings.  

See the Fushimi Inari Shrine This mountainside Shinto shrine, dating back to 711, is dedicated to Inari, the god of rice and prosperity. It’s known for its thousands of vibrant orange torii gates that form a network of trails leading up Mount Inari. You can hike the trails on your own while enjoying panoramic views of Kyoto below or join a guided hiking tour , on which you’ll get off the paved paths and into hidden bamboo groves. Get here as early as possible to avoid the crowds.

68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, +81756417331, inari.jp. Open 24/7. Admission is free.

Walk around Higashiyama Spend an afternoon walking along the narrow streets of one of the oldest and best preserved districts on your own or on a walking tour . The traditional machiya buildings (traditional wooden townhouses) are filled with small shops selling local specialties and handicrafts, as well as restaurants and teahouses. It’s a popular area in which to participate in a tea ceremony . Another nice place to stroll in this neighborhood is the Philosopher’s Path, which follows a cherry-tree-lined canal that’s beautiful and meditative even when the blossoms aren’t in season.

Visit Kiyomizu-dera One of a number of UNESCO sites in ancient Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera (meaning “pure water temple”) is located in the foothills of Mount Otowa in the eastern part of the city. It’s one of the most famous temples in all of Japan. It was established in 778, but most of the existing buildings date to the 17th century. There’s not a single nail used in the construction, which becomes all the more impressive once you see how large the temple is, which is best known for its wooden terrace that juts out over the hillside. The temple’s name comes from the nearby waterfall whose waters (from which you can still drink today) are said to have wish-granting and healing powers.

1 Chome-294 Kiyomizu, +81 75-551-1234, kiyomizudera.or.jp. Open daily 6am-6pm. Admission is 400 JPY.

Explore Shorin-ji Temple This small temple dates back to the 16th century. What makes it worth visiting is its meditation classes. You’ll get to tour the temple and then be instructed in zazen , the Japanese style of meditation. It’s a very unique experience and something that I think will add a lot of depth and nuance to your visit (especially if you’ve seen a lot of temples). Just make sure to dress comfortably.

15 Chome-795 Honmachi, +81 75-561-4311, shourin-ji.org. Open daily 10am-4pm. Admission is 800 JPY.

Wander the Nishiki Market Nishiki Ichiba is now one of the biggest indoor markets in town. Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen” and spanning over five blocks, it is full of vendors selling traditional dishes from the region, classic Kyoto souvenirs, and really just about anything else. There are over a hundred stalls here, many of which have been in the same family for generations. Opening hours depend on the shop but are typically from 9am to 6pm.

To dive deeper into Japanese food culture, you can take a food tour of the market . It’s the best way to learn about all the food you’ll see, as well as the market’s history.

Explore Gion Gion, the historic geisha district, is renowned as being one of the most iconic and atmospheric areas of town. It’s known for its traditional wooden machiya houses, narrow alleyways, cobblestone streets, and preservation of geisha (known locally as geiko) culture. Lining the main street are ochayas (teahouses where geishas entertain), small shops, and many restaurants, ranging from upscale kaiseki restaurants serving traditional Kyoto cuisine to casual eateries.

To really learn more about this amazing party of town and its past, take a walking tour of Gion . You’ll learn a ton and get a lot of context. They cost around 1,800 JPY.

At night, go to the Pontocho Row , a narrow street lined with restaurants, hole-in-the-wall bars, and jazz clubs. It’s one of the more lively areas in Kyoto.  

Nara was the capital of Japan in the eighth century, so there are lots of buildings and temples here that are upwards of a thousand years old (which is rare in Japan, due to the prevalence of fires and earthquakes, as well as World War II). Some things to do:

• Frolic with deer – The real draw in Nara are the deer. Since the 17th century, those in and around the city have been considered sacred. You can buy crackers to feed them or just watch them stroll around carefree.
• See the Buddha – Don’t miss a visit to Todai-ji, the world’s largest wooden building, home to a 16-meter (52-foot) Buddha statue. It was built in 738 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Take a walking tour – This guided half-day walking tour for 11,500 JPY includes all of Nara’s highlights as well as a traditional lunch.

Ryogoku Kokugikan, Japan’s most famous sumo wrestling arena, hosts tournaments three times each year, in January, May, and September. Tickets sell out quickly, so book online in advance. Prices vary but start around 3,200 JPY for arena seats. You can book a ticket online here (you’ll be accompanied by a guide too, so you can learn more about the tradition as it unfolds before your eyes).

To learn more about the sport in in the off-season, book a tour of a sumo stable .  

So, if you want to add another city to this itinerary you can follow this breakdown:

• Days 1 & 2: Tokyo
• Days 3 & 4: Kyoto
• Day 5: Nara
• Days 6 & 7: Osaka

Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara are all covered above. As for Osaka, some of my favorite things to see and do:

Take a food tour Known as “the Kitchen of Japan,” Osaka boasts a diverse culinary scene. Mouthwatering sushi and sashimi, Kobe beef and Japanese BBQ, and flavorful ramen can all be found here in abundance. Plus, there are local specialties like okonomiyaki (a savory pancake with egg and vegetables) and kushikatsu (kebab skewers). You can take a food tour for around 13,000 JPY, a ramen and gyoza cooking class for 9,500 JPY, or just wander and eat.

Osaka Castle One of the most famous landmarks in the country, the castle was originally built in the late 16th century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and played a pivotal role in the unification of Japan during the Sengoku period (1467-1615). Over the centuries, it has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times due to wars, fires, and natural disasters. The current version dates to 1931. The castle is situated amid sprawling grounds and surrounded by a moat. It’s also home to a small but insightful museum and an observation deck that offers some picturesque urban views.

Dotonbori This is arguably Osaka’s most iconic district, known for its vibrant nightlife (bars, clubs, theaters, and music venues), colorful signage, and delicious food. It’s best seen at night due to the plethora of huge neon lights and signs lining both the canal and streets, which have become symbols of Osaka’s nightlife. A guided walking tour that includes Dotonbori as well adjacent neighborhoods is 6,500 JPY.

Shitennoji Temple This temple is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan, founded in 593. The architecture is a blend of traditional Japanese and East Asian styles, featuring impressive pagodas, gates, and shrines set amid serene gardens. Stroll through the tranquil grounds, admire the beautiful architecture, and learn about the temple’s historical and cultural significance at the museum. The temple is 300 JPY to enter, the garden is 300 JPY, and the museum is 500 JPY.  

Japan is one of my favorite countries. While it’s relatively small, it offers an amazing array of things to see and do (as well as some of the best food in the world). With seven days, you can easily see a good number of the main highlights and get a taste for the incredible history and culture. It will be a busy week, but this itinerary ensures you’ll still have some time to slow down, relax, and take in the local pace of life.

Just make sure you get a Japan Rail Pass before you go. While it’s not as cheap as it used to be, it will likely save you time and money!

Book Your Trip to Japan: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . They are my two favorite search engines, because they search websites and airlines around the globe, so you always know no stone is being left unturned!

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the most comprehensive inventory so they are best for booking a hostel. If you want to stay in a hotel or guesthouse in Japan, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancelations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• Safety Wing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel — and I think they will help you too!

Be sure to check out the Japan Rail Pass if you’ll be traveling around the country. It comes in 7-, 14-, and 21-day passes and can save you a ton of money!

Looking for More Travel Tips for Japan? Check out my in-depth Japan travel guide for more ways to save money, information on costs, tips on what to see and do, suggested itineraries and reading and packing lists, and much, much more!

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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