I experienced 2 very different airport lounges in Tokyo, one in each direction, as a Star Alliance gold member).
- Going east, I used the Asiana lounge, which was modern (apparently renovated after the earthquake earlier this year), and full of surprises: self-sever sake bar, cooked-to-order noodle resto, a good variety of food and drinks (alcoholic and non)
- Going west, I used the United Club, which, while large, wasn’t much different than a United Club on American soil: a small selection of self-serve alcohol, limited food selection (some maki sushi, soup, cheese and crackers)
Frankly, I was disappointed that I didn’t get to go back to the Asiana lounge on my 6 hour layover coming back westbound.