Review of Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo to San Francisco in First

Greetings Flight Report community and welcome to this series of flights.
Star Alliance Lounges LAX and Singapore Airlines LAX-NRT (A380) (Suites)
ANA Suite Lounge NRT and Singapore Airlines NRT-SIN (A380) (Suites) SQ "Arrivals" Lounge
The Private Room and T2 First Class Lounge SIN and Singapore Airlines SIN-KUL-SIN (A350) (Business)
DNATA and SATS Lounges SIN and Qatar Airways SIN-DOH (A350) (Business)
Al Safwa First CLass Lounge DOH and Qatar Airways DOH-AUH (A320) (First)
Etihad Premium Lounge(s) T1 and T3 and Etihad Airways AUH-NRT (A340-600) (First)
JAL First Class Lounge HND and Japan Airlines HND-SFO (777-300ER) (First) (This Report)
Admirals Club SFO and American Airlines SFO-LAX (737-800) (First) (No Report)
Welcome back. The last installment concluded with my arrival into Tokyo's Narita Airport. After a day of sakura hunting (not much action yet, too early) I made my way over to Tokyo International Airport via JR and Tokyo Monorail. The airport was starting to gather momentum for the late night departure bank.

I paid a quick visit to the observation deck.

I descended back down to the ticketing counter area to gather my boarding pass for HND-SFO. The transaction is handled with elegance, care, and efficiency…the hallmarks of JAL.

With boarding passes in hand for the last two flights of this adventure I was quickly through security and immigration and off the JAL First Class Lounge.

I received the grand welcome by a fleet of stunning women in their smart looking cream colored uniforms. I think there was a sakura theme to some of the uniforms with embroidered cherry blossoms but I couldn't get a picture. I proceeded into the lounge. My leisurely pace in town left me here later than I expected and all of the spa treatments for the day were booked. I was offered a massage chair as a consolation.

I am always excited to return to this lovely lounge. To my sensibilities there is a fantastic mix of form, function, and luxury in this space.

I start with a review of the food offerings as there is bound to be something to tempt me.
Disclaimer.

Soups.

Small plates.

Salad bar.

Hot options.

Udon and garniture.

A look at some of the beverage offerings. Suntory time.

Having visited this lounge before I know to visit the "Red Suite" for a glass of LP as I prefer it to the Duval Leroy at the main bars. Let's go take a peek over there. I still can't get over how lovely this space is. It captures the romance of air travel perfectly.

The champagne and sake room is beautiful as well. I procured a glass of the rose to enjoy with some bites from the buffet.

Overwhelmed with the choices I started with some udon and fried vegetable. This was not exactly to my liking in that the veg lost some texture while waiting. The udon broth was nice and hot and had the subtle flavor of smoked bonito.

Tempted by the Chef's station I abandoned the udon and wondered over.

Yes, please! What an interesting cut and tender as anything I can remember. I opted for the JAL Original Japanese-Style Grill Sauce. I wasn't asked for my preferred temperature but the final product was perfect.

For "dessert" I topped up on some champagne and sampled the small bites. The sardine and octopus were quite nice but the mayo/salmon didn't connect.

The time to board the aircraft arrived and despite the late hour my excitement for being on board with JAL, in First, sent me practically hopping to the gate. There is a separate lane for First Class so I didn't have to participate in a boarding scrum. Not that they have those in Japan, but still, a dedicated line queue is welcome.
Once on board the enthusiastic crew make it known straight away that they are happy to have you there and they will go to great lengths to make it a memorable encounter. The 4/8 LF in First makes service more punctual and personal.
The cabin is elegant and spacious.

I took up residence in 2K where I found an amenity kit with male supplement, slippers, and noise cancelling headphones.

One of the highlights of flying F with JAL is the Salon. I think the crew is also quite proud to serve it. I just have practice my patience and let them finish the sentence offering something to drink before I blurt out "Salon pelase"! as though I suffer from tourettes .
The salon and oshi bori.

A quick peek into what looks like an excellent J product.

Sleep suits are offered and if you desire to change while still on the ground you are led the lavatory by a helpful flight attendant, the door is opened for you, and the changing platform is lowered. Once you emerge she is there with a coat hanger to hang your street clothes and store them for you until the reverse is procedure is performed prior to arrival. Little touches like this make you really feel well taken care of on JAL.

The slippers are also quite plush and sturdy.

Through the course of boarding both First Class Flight Attendants came by for introductions as well as the in charge Flight Attendant. All spoke English. The wine list and menu were also distributed. The menu consisted of a variety of al la carte items that can be enjoyed whenever you may like as well as a Japanese and Western set breakfast menus. For a flight leaving at midnight I find the variety of the menu to be very good. Is there an inappropriate time to enjoy Salon and caviar? I'm not aware of one.

I realize I am not representative of most users of this flight as I am here for the experience rather than merely to be transported across the vast Pacific Ocean. I subrogate sleep to food and wine. To my surprise I was not alone and most of the cabin stayed awake for a good while and enjoyed something to eat and the IFE.
After take off service began promptly and I requested champagne to drink. To refer to it simply as champange of course is absurd. It's the 2004 Salon Cuvee 'S' Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs, Champagne, France. It's like saying the flight was on an airplane.

The young lady taking care of my side of the aircraft was truly exceptional in every way I could measure. She was friendly, had a good command of English, she was fun yet proper and precise, and she was a treat to behold with a smile to make your knees weak. As a point of reference she noticed my picture taking and from then on she would plave a dish or bottle for photograph and even adjust the reading light attached to the seat to minimize shadows. I had an instant crush.
To start the festivities I requested the "Late Night Snack", the smoked scallop, and, of course, the caviar. The dishes were presented together, per my preference. The caviar was a wonderful treat, as always. The trio of canapes was void of any standout flavours. I really enjoyed the lightly smoked scallops.

In the interest of oenology I requested the Bollinger. Not sure why as I had just come off Etihad and enjoyed the same wine in abundance. I suppose to taste the two side by side. I like the Bollinger a great deal but stayed with the Salon for the duration.

The next course would be the cheese. JAL does up a really visually enjoyable cheese experience even if the cheeses are a bit ordinary. You know what they say, "We eat with our mouths." Or something like that… The lavender honey is an interesting component.

Not wanting my new girlfriend to have a moment of rest I went on to a sweet after the cheese. High quality ice cream and decadent chocolate were right on the money.

Conquering time zones in rapid succession meant that it was soon Suntory time. The lovely blend of the Hibiki 17 performed admirably.

It was at this time that I succumbed to the need for sleep and requested the turndown service. A trip to the lav to reluctantly remove the Hibiki form my teeth and off to sleep. The bed was made in an adjacent seat and I don't recall if I was offered a mattress firmness choice as I have in the past.

The spacious bed, comfortable bedding, and quiet dark cabin all made for a nice rest. I awoke 90 minutes prior to arrival. The cabin crew are constantly monitoring the cabin so one has to be awake for a few moments to be approached and offered service. Sparkling water with lemon came first.

I wasn't wild about any of the set breakfast menus so I requested a couple of items from the a la carte menu. It wasn't until after I ordered and received the meal that I noticed the disclaimer on the menu that these items were available until breakfast service. Despite this qualifier the items were served without hesitation. It was me that felt silly as I despise the perception of being someone who "the rules don't apply to." Perhaps the light load on the flight made this mistake on my part less burdensome on the crew.
I started with a glass of the Queen of Blue.

For the meal I requested the ramen and the tonkatsu sandwich.

Both items were very satisfying Japanese comfort foods. Not necessarily associated with First Class but I very much enjoyed them.
Having flown JAL F previously I know the coffee service is a great treat in the presentation so I very excitedly requested a cup of black coffee. It was served with the substantial mug, French press, and timer. I love it in every way.

I shared my affection for the entire coffee presentation and beautiful "hardware" with the flight attendant. After my coffee was cleared and the cabin was being prepared for landing I was presented with a beautifully wrapped JAL First Class coffee mug. It was such a beautiful gesture. She was beaming with pride to present this gift and to behold my delight in accepting it. I was truly moved by this thoughtful act of generosity. The mug sits at my work desk and delivers warm emotions with every cup of tea I enjoy.
This dreamscape flight was nearing the destination. The cabin was made bright again and we dropped below the clouds hanging over the San Francisco Bay area.

A smooth touchdown and look at a gaggle of UA heavies awaiting their next assignment.

From here is was a quick journey through Global Entry and on to the Air Train to T2. I didn't' have the energy to clear security at T3 and visit the Centurion Lounge at this point, as is my usual pattern. I enjoyed some water and a brief chair nap at the Admirals Club before an uneventful flight to LAX on AA. Uneventful is the nicest compliment I can pay AA these days as I have have had a run of bad luck with all levels of their "service". The staff at the SFO Admirals Club do seem to be friendly and somewhat interested in their jobs, however.