Japan Airlines kindly supported my recent hospitality research trip to Japan, and they’re now extending that same generosity with an exclusive offer just for our readers — click here to learn more. [JAL link]
There’s something about the quiet luxury of Japan Airlines (JAL) Business Class that gently reintroduces you to Japan before you even land. I’ve spent a lot of time in Tokyo—six months living there, and countless visits—and it’s that feeling you get from your first ohayou gozaimasu (good morning) when you board the flight in Delhi that welcomes you back before you even touch down in Haneda.
JAL’s Business Class doesn’t flaunt itself. There’s no overstatement. The comfort is real—wide seats with recline, ample privacy, and a cabin environment designed for rest or deep focus—but it’s the pacing and intuition of the experience that make it feel quietly editorial. Whether you’re traveling for leisure or on assignment, as I was, the space offers something rarer than legroom: it gives you mental room.
The precise bow of the flight attendant. The soft, demure arigatou gozaimasu that follows you down the aisle. The tray table transforming into something ceremonial. It’s not just service. It’s omotenashi—the Japanese philosophy of hospitality—and it’s embedded in every detail of the journey. (JAL even extends this across Asia, with international cabin crew bases in cities like Singapore, Thailand, Taipei, and Shanghai, creating regional fluency for global passengers.)
Of course, the menu offered a continental affair (with vegetarian options, too). But for me, a taste of Japan had to begin in-flight.
The Washoku plate, or Japanese selection, was introduced not as a meal, but as an invitation. The flight attendant presented each element—from silky egg tofu topped with grilled summer corn to ripe tomato, green soybeans, and that ridiculously subtle umami jelly—as “a taste of Japanese summer.”
The main course of simmered salmon came with a trio of steamed rice, miso soup, and tsukemono (pickles)—a setup I’d soon see at many meals over the next 12 days.
Beyond the welcome-back quality of the meal, the flight felt like a creative cocoon—a place to collect my thoughts for the itinerary ahead. Somewhere between courses, I noticed the words printed on the menu: Design Your Story. It felt less like a slogan and more like a prompt. With my notebook open beside a half-drunk glass of bubbly Charles Heidsieck, I started sketching out what this journey might become.
That phrase lingered. Over the next two weeks, it kept showing up—on handwritten menus, in offhand comments, folded into daily rituals.
My trip began in Hiroshima, reached via a smooth domestic transfer from Haneda—part of Japan Airlines’ extensive network connecting over 133 routes across 64+ airports (including codeshares). From there, I traveled through five prefectures in Western Japan—citrus groves, potters’ villages, and seaside ryokans—on a mission to understand how luxury is evolving in the quieter corners of this layered country.
Curated by Miki Tachibana, a local entrepreneur and founding member of Project BoleeGa, the journey opened doors to Japan’s denim heartland and beyond. Miki understood what I was after: a way to translate the quiet richness of regional hospitality for both Indian and American travelers. After all, I’m both.
We stayed in minimalist villas tucked into forested hillsides and dined in century-old unagi shops where green tea isn’t a trend but the final broth for a riverside delicacy. Some stays came with butlers and private onsen; others offered something rarer—a connection to place, to memory, to the quiet poetry of rural life. Everywhere we went, small gestures greeted us: hand-folded origami, a handwritten note, a business card made of recycled denim. I kept them all like souvenirs in my notebook.
By the time I boarded my return flight, my camera was full—thousands of photos. My bag, stuffed with menus, product catalogues, and a single wrapped sardine cracker.
On my way home, a layover in Tokyo offered a welcome pause. In JAL’s Sakura Lounge, I sat with a glass of bubbly and a front-row view of the tarmac, watching aircraft come and go. The atmosphere was calm, the food selection generous, and the whole experience felt less like waiting and more like easing into the final chapter of my travels — a fitting prelude to the Ren meal that awaited me onboard.
For my return dinner, I chose the Washoku menu again—this time designed by Chef Mishina of Ren Mishina in Ginza, a restaurant I’ve long meant to book but never quite have. The appetizers mirrored my outbound meal, but the ingredients hinted at transition—one last bite of gyu (beef), a hope to see you soon in the endless slurps of noodle soups.
For our vegetarian readers, I’ve heard great things about the vegan meal by Chef Yonezawa of No Code in Tokyo. Pre-book your special return flight meal and enjoy your last taste of Japan.
As I sipped a cup of hot hoji tea and watched the sky shift beyond the window, I knew the flight wasn’t just an ending. It was the beginning of a story I couldn’t wait to share.
Platform readers can now take flight with Japan Airlines Business Class through a limited-time offer. Book your seat today and begin designing your story—one meal, one seat, one soft bow at a time.
From India, JAL offers daily nonstop flights from Delhi (to Haneda) and Bengaluru (to Narita), with three 32-kg checked bags in Business Class. Plenty of room to bring it all home—from ceramics to citrus snacks.
Words & Photography Gauri Sarin
