Autumn 2025. We – Sam and Danny, Michel and Wille, and Timothy – are travelling to Japan for a quite classic tour of the Land of the Rising Sun. We are flying separately as we used miles. On the planning: Tokyo, Kanazawa, Shirakawa, Osaka, and Expo 2025, Hiroshima, Himeji, Miyajima, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Hakone, and back to Tokyo. Three weeks plus some extra days.

To get to Japan Sam and I found mileage availability on Qatar Airways from Brussels to Tokyo via Doha.

Brussels Airport recently opened a new international lounge in the B gate area called The View to replace the ageing and cramped Diamond Lounge. This is still the sole lounge In the extra-Schengen B-Area, thus also where Qatar Airways sends its passengers. As a first we also got a paper handwritten lounge invitation issued by Qatar Airways to gain access to the lounge, usually this is just linked to a code on your boarding pass. This might have had something to do with the chaos Brussels Airport was experiencing at the time due to a hacker attack on their software systems.

It is a vast improvement as it is much more spacious than the old diamond lounge. It extends over the entire width of the B gates pier with windows on both side letting in lots of natural light and views over the airport.

The lounge is divided into different sections. Most of the lounge consists of lounge style seating. In a corner behind a partition there is the study, a quiet area intended for work. In the back of the lounge there is a dining area seating with tables and chairs, right next to the food buffet. The food buffet now has a larger offering of hot and cold dishes.

Centrally in the lounge there is the bar area. While it looks like it provides bar service by the staff, it is self-service.

The staff is also very friendly and fast in clearing tables, they also clean the table after each clearing. This leaves a very clean and uncluttered lounge.

2025 Journey Across Japan

1. Japan’s Superconducting Maglev train breaks world speed record at 603 km/h.
2. Japan’s maglev bullet train delayed to 2035 or later as costs rise to ¥11 trillion.
3. QUESTION | Should you be stressed about travelling to Japan, and fear of missing out?.
4. Brussels Airport to Milan Malpensa with Brussels Airlines, operated by Air Baltic, ft. the 2025 check-in and boarding software hack.
5. REVIEW | Sala Montale Exclusive Lounge and Sala Gae Aulentin Premium Lounge at Milan Malpensa Airport, extra Schengen.
6. REVIEW | All Nippon Airways (ANA), Business Class, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to Tokyo.
7. REVIEW | Toei Animation Museum in Nerima, Tokyo.
8. JAPAN | Tokyo Station, its Character Street and Pokémon Store.
9. REVIEW | Onyado Nono Asakusa Hotel in Tokyo.
10. TOKYO | Asakusa ft. Sensō-ji Temple.
11. JAPAN | The Odoriko train from Tokyo to Ito on Izu Peninsula.
12. PHOTOS & REVIEW | The Izu Teddy Bear Museum in Izu-Kōgen.
13. JAPAN | A visit to Ito on Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture.
14. REVIEW | Japan’s Saphir Odoriko in Premium Green Car from Ito on Izu Peninsula to Tokyo Station.
15. GAY TOKYO | 24 Kaikan in Asakusa (+ Ueno and Shinjuku).
16. TOKYO | Sawara in Chiba Prefecture, ‘Little Edo’ beyond Narita.
17. TOKYO | Omotesandō in Shibuya – AEON Shinonome –  Uniqlo – Muji.
18. PHOTOS | The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum in Koganei Park.
19. JAPAN | Solo in Tokyo.