Japan stands out as one of the most popular travel spots right now yet reaching the country often means lengthy trips for many people.

On our follow up visit to Japan my spouse and I chose to splurge on business class upgrades to ease the extended flight time.

We secured a lower rate through a complex itinerary from our base in southern France covering Marseille to London then London to Helsinki and finally Helsinki to Tokyo. Ultimately each round trip ticket totaled around 2,904 euros equivalent to roughly 3,366 dollars.

Our 14 hour segments between Helsinki and Tokyo took place in business class on Japan Airlines.

I have had the chance to fly business class several times previously including a recent trip with Qatar Airways so I looked forward to comparing the JAL service.

We began with a visit to the Finnair Business Lounge in Helsinki.

Lounge entry ranks as a key advantage when traveling in business class.

Because Finnair and JAL belong to the same Oneworld group we gained entry to the Finnair Business Lounge on the non Schengen side of Helsinki Airport.

The space impressed us with abundant tasty complimentary dishes and bartenders serving a range of beverages including cocktails and Champagne. The design felt inviting stylish and roomy.

During the return we accessed JAL Sakura Lounge at Tokyo Haneda Airport which felt less remarkable yet offered a calm spot to relax.

The business class cabin followed a 2-3-2 arrangement.

The 2-3-2 setup appears complex at first but proves smart in practice. Seats are offset allowing even the middle passenger in a trio easy aisle access without bothering neighbors.

A window seat for instance sits slightly ahead of the adjacent one so the window occupant can reach the aisle by passing behind the screen of the aisle seat.

Still this arrangement does not suit couples traveling together as well.

To chat with my spouse I needed to lean forward quite a bit to pass the divider between our seats which also featured a raisable panel for added seclusion.

The aisle seat did not appeal as much as anticipated.

I expected to favor the aisle yet soon saw that window or middle spots offered better privacy. My spouse enjoyed full seclusion next to the window while I lacked that.

I felt more visible from the aisle unlike certain business class setups that include a barrier or door separating the passenger from the walkway.

My seat stayed open all the way to the back and elbow area just like the one across from me.

Still the aisle seat included handy storage.

Being in the aisle position gave me a large cubby above the charging area perfect for keeping items I might need quickly during the flight.

Once aboard we found a pillow and blankets ready.

Each of us received a pillow slippers headphones an amenity pouch and a water bottle.

On the return we also got branded cardigans though we could not keep them.

This differed from prior business class flights on other carriers where pajamas were provided to take home. On JAL pajamas go only to first class guests on certain routes.

Amenity kit contents differed slightly between flights.

The kits came in various Heralbony washbag patterns.

Outbound I received earplugs tissues toothbrush toothpaste hand cream a phone stand and a heated eye mask.

Return lacked the heated eye mask which I missed and instead included a USB charging cable.

The items felt more basic than those from other airlines in business class where we have received premium creams and balms.

Japan Airlines did provide a pleasant facial mist in the lavatories along with mouthwash packets though restocking could have been more frequent.

Legroom proved generous.

Legroom and personal space count as major business class benefits and this flight offered plenty of both.

I could stretch out fully. Yet when upright anyone shorter than my 5 foot 9 inches might find the footrest hard to reach though an additional footrest can be raised from under the seat.

The seat offered good width and multiple recline options plus a back massage button I found pleasant.

Seats converted to fully flat beds.

Being able to lie completely flat ranks as my top business class feature especially on long flights.

My toes touched the bed end when stretched out which seems typical. The bed size matched others I have used in business cabins.

Overhead bins held mattress toppers to improve bed comfort.

The menu blended Japanese and global dishes.

The main meal offered Japanese and international choices followed by an a la carte selection available anytime.

Before service the large tray table was set with a gray cloth which felt less elegant than white yet better than none.

I liked how the table twisted allowing me to stand while leaving the tray in place.

Service started with drinks and snacks such as crisp breads topped with scallop cream or nuts and breadsticks with tomato dip.

All beverages came in plain tumblers which worked fine though varied glasses for Champagne wine or cocktails would have added polish.

Overall the food tasted good.

My spouse and I tried several items from both menus and found them flavorful and nicely presented.

He liked options such as pak choi and king oyster mushrooms in sesame sauce with soy marinated roe plus deep fried sesame tofu in Japanese dashi broth.

The origami swan chopstick rest served with Japanese meals added a charming detail.

From the international menu I enjoyed grilled Finnish beef fillet with wasabi and soy onion sauce cauliflower gratin and grilled vegetables.

Meals seemed fresh and diverse.

On both flights the a la carte salads stood out for freshness though they arrived quite cold straight from the fridge.

I also savored the signature miso ramen. Having many food options proved excellent on such a long flight.

Entertainment choices abounded yet prior research would have helped.

I controlled the seat screen via a side remote which also let me browse movies. The remote screen gave little extra detail on each title.

This made selections tricky so I stuck mostly to familiar films and wished I had researched options ahead of time.

Still I found enough known titles to enjoy. The large screen and solid sound quality made viewing pleasant.

As business class guests we enjoyed free WiFi which performed decently though it dropped occasionally.