Like many other airports in Japan, Kagoshima airport is equipped with three lounges – ANA Lounge and JAL Sakura Lounge available to passengers traveling on either of the two major Japanese airlines and a “card lounge” accessible by all passengers regardless of the airline they are flying.
Prior to taking a flight to Osaka during my ANA mileage run a couple of months ago, I paid a quick visit to the airport’s card lounge, Sky Lounge Nanohana. Continue reading to see what the lounge was like.
Location, Opening Hours & Access
Sky Lounge Nanohana is, like many other card lounges in Japan, located landside – i.e. before security. While that comes with the disadvantage of having to leave the lounge earlier to make it through security, it also comes with the advantage of being able to visit the lounge not only before departure but also after arrival.
More specifically, the lounge is located on the very right side (facing the security check area) of the second floor. It can be found down a hallway lined with some artwork.
The lounge is open every day between 7AM and 8PM.
It can be accessed by holders of various Japanese credit cards (Rakuten Premium in my case) for free. Passengers not holding one of the eligible credit cards can also pay for access. The general admission fee is 1,100 yen (approx. 9 USD); it is half of that for children aged 3 to 11.
Lounge Tour
At the reception desk, my credit card was scanned and I was offered some snacks (more about that in the next section).
Past the reception desk, there was a magazine rack with a selection of newspapers and magazines (all Japanese, though). In the same area, there were also three phone booths and a restroom. Phone booths for use by those wanting to talk on their cellphones can be found in most lounges in Japan and are a feature that I really appreciate as they allow passengers to get their business done without disturbing others.
The drinks area was near the reception too.
The lounge itself was essentially one large room with a variety of seating. According to the lounge’s website, the lounge can accommodate a total of 74 people.
In the middle of the lounge, there were chairs, each with a side table. These were separated from each other with privacy partitions. Each chair was equipped with a drink holder, a power outlet, a USB charging port, and a coat hook.
Along a portion of the lounge’s walls were the same seats. Additionally, there were counters – once again with each seat having access to a power outlet and a USB charging port.
Lastly, along the windows, there were small partitioned areas each with a chair and a small side table. There was also a counter with ten or so seats.
Unfortunately, the windows didn’t offer any interesting views as they were facing away from the airport.
Food and Drinks
Starting with drinks, there was a counter with a couple of coffee machines and a soft drinks dispenser with Coke, Calpis, some juices and tea.
There were also pitchers with yuzu, mango, and tomato juices, as well as milk, in a refrigerator next to the counter.
As for alcoholic drinks, beer was available in the lounge at an extra charge. Local shochu was available at an extra charge too. A sampling of the shochu could be had for free.
In terms of bites to eat, upon arrival at the lounge, I was offered two packs of snacks. There were three or four different options – I went with a pack of dried bananas and a pack of peanuts/rice crackers. While the selection of snacks was nicer than that in ANA and JAL lounges, unlike in the two airline lounges, the quantity one could have was limited.
Sky Lounge Nanohana Kagoshima Summary
In general, domestic lounges in Japan are nothing to write home about. Going in knowing that, Sky Lounge Nanohana did not disappoint me, nor did it surprise me. It offered plenty of seating (at least during the time I visited the lounge was fairly empty), enough power outlets for everyone to be able to charge their devices, and a selection of drinks to get oneself hydrated before a flight.
One thing that I liked about the lounge compared to some other domestic lounges in Japan was the ability to choose from a couple of different types of snacks (although it would have been nice if it wasn’t limited to two packs). The availability of soft drinks beyond the regular selection – yuzu and mango juices in particular – was nice too.
On the other hand, one thing that might not be ideal for some was that all of the seating was essentially arranged with individual travelers in mind. In other words, there were no “proper” seating options for groups of three or four travelers. That said, all in all, I preferred this lounge to the ANA Lounge which I briefly visited afterward.
