[KIX] SQ Contract Lounge in Kansai Airport: JAL Sakura Lounge

[yflyer]

A bit of a surprise when I checked in for my KIX-SIN flight on SQ.

While SQ uses Star Alliance partner ANA's Lounge in Narita (And Haneda as well, I believe), at KIX, the designated SQ lounge is the JAL Sakura Lounge.

This is probably because the ANA Lounge is in the North Wing of KIX, whereas SQ departs from the South Wing at the other end of KIX, where the JAL Sakura Lounge is.

For me, this was a pleasant surprise, because while the ANA lounges are good, I have always liked the JAL lounges in NRT and HND, both for the ambience as well as the catering -- I love JAL's signature beef curry which they serve in their lounges.



As Krisflyer / Star Gold, I was entitled to entry for myself and one guest. (Like other Star or SQ lounges, no exceptions were granted for accompanying children. Only two pax allowed in: member + guest).

[yflyer]

This is not a very large lounge compared to the JAL Sakura Lounges in NRT or HND, but it was spacious enough, and not overcrowded when we were there at around 10am.

It has a main dining area, and 2 separate seating areas, as well as a dedicated smoking lounge.



Dining area...



Seating areas...





Two massage chairs tucked away in a corner of one of the seating areas...

[yflyer]

A smallish selection of self-service wine, liquor and sake, as well as Japanese liqueurs/wines.



Shochu and Japanese sweet plum wine...



Sparking and white wines, as well as daiginjo sake...



A fruity liquor mix, which both Mrs yflyer and I found quite pleasant...



Fruit juices, including a kiwi-flavoured version of JAL's Skytime signature fruit juice...



Kiwi-flavoured Skytime...



Coffee machine...



Soft drinks...



Beer dispensers with tilting glass function...

[yflyer]

Salads...



Two soups: Japanese miso soup...



...and clam chowder...



Short-grained Japanese rice. Delicious!



Selection of pickles and condiments...



JAL's signature beef curry, which tasted wonderful...



There was also Thai green curry chicken...



And as this was breakfast time, they also had sausages and scrambled eggs...



As well as Japanese-style egg omelette and grilled fish...

[yflyer]

A few work cubicles...



Lockers to store valuables...



There were toilets in the lounge, but no showers. There was a changing room available, though.



Smoking Lounge...

[yflyer]

Overall, my impression is that this is a decent lounge, although not one that is of "flagship" caliber. I find the JAL lounges in NRT and HND much more impressive. Check out, for example, the Haneda JAL Sakura Lounge here and just a glimpse of the full bar at the NRT Sakura Lounge here.

That said, this lounge was a very comfortable place to spend time in KIX, and to indulge in a helping or two of JAL's signature beef curry and rice.

[9V-SIA]

I must revisit then.

I went once and was unimpressed with the food ( there was none! )

Were you on the night flight perhaps?

I always take the morning flight home and maybe they're not open for meals then

[yflyer]

I was on SQ619, the 11am departure. Lots of food laid out in the lounge that morning!

[jhm]

Daiginjo? That would help me pass a pleasant few hours in the lounge...

[9V-JKL]

Originally Posted by jhm

Daiginjo? That would help me pass a pleasant few hours in the lounge...

Somehow I read it as you'll pass out for a few hours.....

[lcpteck]

I heard this lounge was renovated recently, looks modern.

[yflyer]

Originally Posted by lcpteck

I heard this lounge was renovated recently, looks modern.

Hi lcpteck! Yes this lounge was recently renovated. It just reopened 5 months ago, in July 2015.

[yflyer]

Originally Posted by jhm

Daiginjo? That would help me pass a pleasant few hours in the lounge...

The sake selection at the ANA lounge in Narita looks very good as well, with several different ones available to taste...

[CarbonMan]

On my recent flight back from KIX, I was given a voucher by SQ that included Sakura lounge. As my wife and I had already enjoyed a really good breakfast at the Hilton Osaka before taking the limo bus to KIX, we didn't go to the lounge. Truthfully though, we got caught up with last-minute shopping at the various duty-free outlets.

The voucher includes options to Sakura: Tully's Coffee, Ganko (Japanese food/sushi), and Pronto (coffee and snacks). The voucher lets you order up to 2,000 yen worth of food at these alternative places. Great if you want a really good cup of robust coffee versus the diluted Japanese coffee, I think. Genko and Pronto is in the main section of the terminal just after immigration before one takes the monorail to the satellite terminal where Sakura lounge is and where SQ's gate is normally (gate 41?), while Tully's is near the boarding gate.

[9V-SKU]

I was just at KIX for my return flight to SIN on SQ621 on 2 Jan. 2020. SIA still uses gate 41 and the Sakura lounge between gates 37 and 38 in the satellite terminal. We also received the JPY 2,000 voucher, which we used to get entry to the lounge.

The lounge itself still looks exactly the same as posted by yflyer in 2015 and the curry is still delicious. However, for the late afternoon flight, the lounge got at times rather crowded. There were many mainland Chinese pax departing on several Chinese airlines around the same time as SQ621.