During our journey from San Francisco to Singapore on ANA Business Class, we had a 3-hour layover at Narita. We spent it at the ANA Lounge in Terminal 1 near Gate 59. (The ANA Suite Lounge shares the same entrance; that is a separate review.)
Here is the full tour: how to avoid the crowds, where the quiet seating is, and whether the ramen is worth ordering.
Access and Who Can Use It
The ANA Lounge at Narita Terminal 1 is open to passengers flying ANA or Star Alliance in Business Class, as well as ANA Mileage Club Platinum and Diamond members. If you are connecting through Narita on a Star Alliance partner airline in a qualifying cabin, you should be eligible.
The lounge is near Gate 59 in Terminal 1. The ANA Suite Lounge shares the same entrance, but check-in staff direct you to the appropriate side based on your boarding pass. If you have Business Class access, you will be directed to the ANA Lounge. If you have First Class or Singapore Airlines First Class access, you may qualify for the Suite Lounge instead.
The Two Areas: Main vs. Quiet Zone
At check-in you face a fork. Almost everyone turns right. Turn left instead.
Turn right (main area): The main buffet, the noodle pick-up counter, and views of the planes on the tarmac. It gets very crowded. We had a hard time finding an open seat during our layover, and during peak periods it can feel genuinely chaotic. The tarmac views are nice, but not worth fighting for a seat.
Turn left (quiet zone): Past the restrooms, there is a large, calm seating area with its own fully-stocked second buffet, identical to the main one. No plane views, but the trade-off is absolutely worth it. You can order noodles via QR code from this side and walk over to pick them up when ready.
This is the single most useful piece of information about this lounge. Most travelers do not know the left side exists. The moment we found it, we settled in and did not move for the rest of our layover.
The Food
The selection is genuinely impressive for a Business Class lounge.
The buffet: Chicken curry, an automated rice machine, salads, sandwiches, chicken karaage, takoyaki (a bit mushy but decent), and small tofu onigiri. The variety is wide enough that you can graze through multiple plates without repeating yourself. Everything we tried was at least solid, and the chicken karaage was genuinely good.
Drinks: Automated Asahi beer machine, wine, sake, coffee, and a wide range of teas and juices. The Asahi machine is a crowd-pleaser. You tap a button, and a fresh cold beer pours out. It is efficient in a way that feels very Japanese.
The noodle bar: Order udon, soba, or ramen from a kiosk or by QR code. We had the ramen. The broth was light and clean, and the noodles were noticeably better than the ones served onboard. I would not have expected lounge ramen to be this good. It was one of those small surprises that makes a layover feel like a real stop rather than just waiting.
The staff at the noodle pick-up counter are attentive and will let you know when your order is ready. If you are sitting in the quiet zone on the left side, just walk over when you get the notification.
The Showers
Reserve a room at a digital kiosk near the entrance: enter your phone number and they text you when it is ready.
Inside the room:
- Sealed fresh towel and slippers
- Pre-packed zip bag with toothbrush, comb, and cotton pads
- Kosé branded body wash, shampoo, and skincare products
- Blue Dyson hair dryer
- Luggage rack, chair, and shoehorn
The rooms are noticeably more spacious than typical US lounge showers. Everything feels considered: there is actually enough counter space to put your toiletries down without balancing things precariously. The Kosé skincare products are a step above the generic unbranded bottles you find in most Western lounges.
The main restrooms are also worth noting: Shiseido skincare at the sinks, zoom-in mirrors, and dedicated fitting rooms with platforms to take your shoes off and change comfortably. This is Japan. Even the restroom feels thoughtful.
What to Expect with a Layover
We had 3 hours and it felt like just enough time. We grabbed food, found seats in the quiet zone, ordered ramen, took showers, and had time to sit and charge our devices before the next flight.
If you have a tighter window (under 90 minutes), prioritize the shower reservation first since you have to reserve at the kiosk and wait for a text. Then grab food. The quiet zone seating on the left side means you will always have a place to sit even if the main area fills up.
If your layover is longer than 3 hours, you have plenty of time to try multiple items from the buffet and the noodle bar. I would genuinely eat the ramen twice if the layover allowed for it.
Tips
- Turn left at the fork. The quiet zone has a full second buffet and it is always less crowded than the main area.
- Reserve your shower at the kiosk first. You will get a text when the room is ready, so you do not have to sit and wait.
- Order the ramen. It is genuinely better than expected for a Business Class lounge, and the broth is clean and light.
- Access requires Business Class on ANA or Star Alliance, or ANA Mileage Club status. Confirm your eligibility before your layover.
- The automated Asahi machine is worth using. Fresh cold beer on demand is always a good layover move.
Verdict
The ANA Lounge at Narita is excellent for a layover, as long as you know to head left. Fresh ramen, quality shower facilities, and a calm space to sit if you avoid the crowded main section. If you are transiting through Narita on ANA Business Class, this lounge alone makes the layover feel worthwhile rather than something to endure. A very good stop before a long flight.
