ANA - Japan [Oct refresh]

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Japan

Whether you view flying as the grin-and-bear-it portion of your journey, or you’re a longtime aviation aficionado, ANA will likely defy expectations. A SKYTRAX 5-Star Airline for 10 years straight, Japan’s largest carrier is the embodiment of the nation’s reputation for hospitality and attention to detail, down to the scent you inhale onboard, at check-in counters and in the lounges (specifics vary by location). Yes, there’s actually a bespoke blend — ANA Original Aroma — that imbues everything from hot towels to hand soaps with Japanese umbrella pine, Yoshino Japanese cedar and mint, among other comforting notes.

As for the spaces on board, the most luxurious were masterminded by starchitect Kengo Kuma — most recently of Tokyo Olympics National Stadium fame — and designed by the renowned industrial design firm Acumen. THE Room is nearly three feet wide, individually enclosed within sliding privacy panels (unless you want to share space with a travel companion), flat-bedded when you’re ready to lie down and kitted out with endless amenities and tech. Picture the same kinds of features, but supersized into hotel-room-in-the-sky proportions in THE Suite. Whichever version you choose, your meals will be exquisite thanks to ANA’s partnership with a coterie of A-List Japanese and international chefs, known collectively as THE CONNOISSEURS and decorated over the years with everything from Michelin stars to World’s Best awards.

Not that you need to be seated in either of those sections of the plane to experience the flavors, comforts and services that ANA is known for. Many flights offer ANA Business Staggered, where, as the name suggests, the lie-flat seats are arrayed in a staggered design that grants everyone direct aisle access. (Read: you’ll never have to vault over the fully-reclined, contentedly sleeping person next to you if you want to get up.) Economy, too, has several standouts, starting with thoughtfully-sourced foods such as "soft kale" that’s grown in compost generated from in-flight meal prep and used in super-healthy salads. If you’re simply looking for a seat with impressive pitch, width and legroom, check out the Premium Economy section on any flight between the US and Tokyo, the majority of which land in Haneda — an airport that, unlike Narita, places you right in Tokyo itself.

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Though it’s a relatively new classic — celebrating a 20th anniversary of sorts this year — the New York Bar on the 52nd floor of the Park Hyatt Tokyo achieved celebrity status all its own thanks to Sofia Coppola’s 2003 cult classic Lost in Translation. The views, cocktails and jazz are as good as ever, though you'll also want to check out the hotel's traditional Japanese restaurant, Kozue, for the three-page sake menu alone. That said, there are also plenty of new hotels generating buzz: the Bulgari, the Janu Tokyo, Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya, the hotels at Kabukicho Tower and the soon-to-open Tokyo Edition Ginza, to name just a few.

Just a few of the other classics you’ll want to be sure to take in: Senso-ji, a beautiful Buddhist temple at the end of a buzzing shopping street; the Imperial Palace and Gardens — majestic, historic and totally worth a pre-booked tour; Harajuku, the eye-popping street fashion hot spot counterbalanced by the nearby serene Meji Shrine; Ryogoku Kokugikan, the sumo wrestling stadium of choice; the fish market zone — formerly one giant sprawl, now divided between Tsukiji and the nearby Toyosu markets, both prime spots for spectating and eating; the astonishing museums (Yayoi Kusama, National Art Center, Mori Art Museum and the Edo-Tokyo Museum to name a few); and the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, formerly royal and eternally gorgeous.

Landing at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, as you’ll do on the majority of ANA flights from the US, you’ll be more or less 30 minutes and 12 miles from the heart of town. So you can dive right into your local adventures — particularly given the likelihood that you'll arrive well-rested, and maybe even revived (the herbs and woods in the ANA Original Aroma are highly effective on that front). Also acting as a stimulant: the city’s legendary energy, a flashing Neon life force all its own. (See: Shibuya Crossing, reportedly the world’s busiest intersection, where the towering, flashing video screens make Times Square look like child’s play.)

Another natural spring hot spot: Kyushu’s Fukuoka. A good place to start your exploration is Harazuru Onsen — a town with one of the highest concentrations of hot springs in the prefecture, and more than a dozen ryokans (traditional inns) where you can soak up the local vibes, in every sense. If it’s a different kind of plunge you’d like to take, consider one of Japan’s warm(er) weather getaways in winter: Okinawa’s Naha. You can actually dive the gorgeous surrounding waters year-round, and seasonal sightings may include anything from manta rays to hammerheads. If you’d rather stay on the surface of the famously clear East China Sea, consider a glass-bottomed kayak or tour boat excursion — or go out on a January whale-watching trip to search for migrating humpbacks. Of course, one of the coolest natural spectacles in the area takes place on dry land: Japan’s earliest cherry blossoms, which have been known to debut here in mid-January.

If there are crafts lovers among you, consider heading to Komatsu — a millennia-old hotbed of jewelry, pottery and stonework. In addition to studio tours and boutique-hopping, you take workshops in the famed art of Kutani ceramic painting. For artistry within a gorgeous historic and natural setting, visit the approximately 1300-year-old Natadera Temple, a sprawling complex set against a backdrop of cliffs and caves. Once you’ve done your share of wandering, unwind in the legendary nearby hot springs: Awazu Onsen, founded by the same monk as the temple, and best paired with a stay at the Houshi Ryokan, one of the world's oldest hotels.

Between Japan's legendary train connectivity and ANA’s extensive domestic destination lineup, getting around is easy and efficient — especially because many flights arrive in Haneda's Terminal 2, allowing for a seamless connection to a domestic ANA flight. Say you travel overnight from Los Angeles, for example. Given the early morning landing at Haneda, you can easily connect to dozens of domestic departures and be wherever you want that same day. But if you have a layover of any appreciable length, there are the Suite Lounges to consider (showers, hearty Japanese fare, quiet booths and more). As for your onward journey, the possibilities are limitless, but here are a few thought starters: Hokkaido, the country’s northernmost region, kicks winter off early (typically, November) and culminates in the world-renowned Sapporo Snow Festival (February 4-11, 2024). Highlights include amazingly outsized and intricate snow sculptures, ethereally-lit ice sculptures, vendors of steaming hot local specialties (crab, for one) and fun for the youngest ones in your travel party (or the young at heart): picture snow slides and snow rafting, for starters.

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Senso-ji

Fly well

Welcome to Tokyo

Explore farther afield

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Imperial Palace

Sumo wrestling at Ryogoku Kokugikan

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Why journeying to

ANA Business Staggered

THE Suite, available on flights from New York

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Rare is the mode of transport that generates as much excitement as the destination itself. One notable exception? All Nippon Airways (better known as ANA), which connects Japan to eight US cities — Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York and Honolulu — and offers some of the most talked-about business- and first-class seats in the skies. Then again, the airline’s overall service is so renowned, it transforms your idea of a long-haul flight no matter what section you’re traveling in. As for what awaits on the other side: That, too, has been generating major excitement. Japan has so many new offerings — to say nothing of the country’s classic draws — this winter really is the time to go. Read on for how best to experience the flight, your time in Tokyo and your journey beyond the capital.

New York Bar | image courtesy of Park Hyatt Tokyo

Bulgari Hotel Tokyo | image courtesy of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts

fly well | welcome to tokyo | explore farther afield

ANA Suite Lounge

Snow sculpture at Sapporo Snow Festival

Natadera Temple