Note: This article is written by UMUI Rent a Car, which operates the Naha Airport and Omoromachi branches. We have ranked ourselves first, and the information on other companies is based on what we could confirm on each company’s official website as of October 2026.
If you are visiting Okinawa from overseas and want to rent a car at Naha Airport, the language you can use to book and pick up the car matters more than you might expect. There is one more thing that is easy to overlook: whether your driver’s license is valid for driving in Japan. Finding out after you have booked that your license is not accepted can throw your whole trip off.
In this guide we look at five rental car companies with a shuttle service from Naha Airport from two angles: language support (booking site, paperwork and counter) and how to get from the airport to the office. We also sum up the documents you need to rent with a foreign license.
Three Things to Check Before You Rent in Japan
1. Which languages the booking site and advance paperwork support
Renting a car involves more than booking. You also need to review the insurance coverage and the rental terms, and these are not documents to skim. Being able to read them in your own language makes a real difference on the day. Some companies let you switch their official site between several languages, while others offer English only. Check first that the booking page is readable in the language you use.
2. Whether the office has a counter where you can talk in a foreign language
A multilingual website does not necessarily mean the same at the counter. Some companies say on their official sites that they have a dedicated counter for foreign-language service, but few state which languages each office supports or whether foreign-language-speaking staff are on duty. If this matters to you, a phone call or email before you book is the surest way.
3. Whether you can get from the airport to the office without getting lost
At Naha Airport, every rental car company is reached by shuttle bus to an office outside the airport. Leave through an exit on the first floor of the domestic terminal and cross the crosswalk, and you will find each company’s stop. If you arrive on an international flight, some companies explain the route from the second-floor arrivals floor down to the domestic side on the first floor and out through the exit (from the official site of OTS Rent-a-Car). Stop numbers differ by company and their names are changing, so if you are first-timers, it helps to note the number before you arrive.
What You Need to Drive With a Foreign License
If you hold a foreign license and plan to drive in Japan, you need a license that meets one of the requirements below. This is the information on UMUI Rent a Car’s guide page. Other companies’ conditions may differ slightly, so please check each company’s official website.
Driving with an International Driving Permit
- An International Driving Permit (issued under the Geneva Convention by a Geneva Convention member country)
- Your passport (with an entry stamp showing your date of arrival in Japan)
Driving with a foreign driver’s license and a Japanese translation
- A foreign driver’s license (Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, Taiwan)
- An official Japanese translation of the license
If you are from Taiwan, you do not need an International Driving Permit; your license plus a Japanese translation is enough. For the translation, see the JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) guide linked on our driving licenses page.
You can also drive with a U.S. Forces Japan individual driving permit (SOFA) together with a U.S. military ID. Whatever you hold, check the requirements before you book.
Five Naha Airport Rental Companies for Visitors From Overseas
1st: UMUI Rent a Car, Naha Airport Branch
It may sound self-serving, but we put ourselves in first place. The reason is that both our booking site and our online check-in are available in four languages: Japanese, English, Korean and Traditional Chinese. With online check-in, you enter your details on your smartphone before you leave and review the coverage and the rental terms. You can go through documents that are hard to read, in your own language and at your own pace, before you even arrive in Japan.
CDW and NOC coverage are both included in the base price. We never present insurance add-ons at the counter, so there is little to puzzle over after an explanation, and you rent at the price you booked. Payment is by credit card or electronic money; cash cannot be used.
Compact Car A costs ¥6,600 for 24 hours and ¥4,400 per day from the second day (regular season, tax included, as of October 2026; ¥11,000 for 24 hours in peak season). There are 8 vehicle classes, including minivans and SUVs, so even a large group of family from overseas can find a fit.
When you arrive at the airport, please come to rental car shuttle stop “14-C.” Our staff will be waiting. If no one is there or you are lost, contact us through our official LINE. For the languages our office staff can handle, please ask through our official LINE or by phone (+81-50-1783-5687).
For your license, you need an International Driving Permit as described above, or a foreign license with a Japanese translation. See this page for details.
| Address | 1-325 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku, Okinawa |
|---|---|
| Hours | 8:00-20:00 (open every day) |
| Shuttle | Free shuttle from Naha Airport (stop 14-C) |
| Languages | Booking and online check-in: Japanese, English, Korean, Traditional Chinese |
| Insurance | CDW and NOC coverage both included in the base price |
| Payment | Credit card or electronic money (no cash) |
| Contact | Official LINE / Tel +81-50-1783-5687 |
2nd: Toyota Rent a Car, Naha Airport Branch
Toyota Rent a Car’s strength is an official website you can switch to English, Traditional Chinese, Korean and Thai. The languages differ slightly from ours, and the Thai pages may be useful if that is what you are looking for. Self check-in is available, and there are ETC card rental and barrier-free options as well. The official site does not state the languages supported at each office, so it is reassuring to ask in advance if that matters to you.
The trip from the airport is also on the shorter side among these five companies. The shuttle stop is “11-A,” and the office is about 5 minutes away. Note, however, that the official site says the shuttle requires advance reservation. It is open 8:00-20:00 every day, and if your flight is delayed and you arrive outside opening hours, the car is handed over within the next day’s opening hours. CDW is ¥1,100 per 24 hours (¥2,200 for some larger vehicles), and the “Anshin W Plan,” which also waives the NOC, is ¥1,650 per 24 hours. These are charged separately from the displayed rate.
| Address | 2-15-11 Akamine, Naha, Okinawa |
|---|---|
| Hours | 8:00-20:00 (open every day) |
| Shuttle | Free shuttle (stop 11-A, about 5 minutes to the office; advance reservation required) |
| Languages | Official site: English, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Thai (in addition to Japanese) |
| Insurance | CDW from ¥1,100 per 24 hours; “Anshin W Plan” ¥1,650 per 24 hours (separate from the displayed rate) |
3rd: Nippon Rent-A-Car, Toyosaki Office (Naha Airport)
A major nationwide company, with multilingual pages on its official site including English and Thai. Naha Airport shuttle pickups are handled at the Toyosaki Office. The stop is “11-A,” and the office is about 20 minutes away. The official site says the trip between the office and the airport may take around 1 hour when it is busy. If you are traveling with someone new to Japan, leave some room in your schedule after you land.
CDW is ¥1,100 to ¥2,200 per day (depending on class), the “ECO” plan that waives the NOC is ¥440 per day, and the “Full Support” plan that combines both starts at ¥2,200 per day. We could not find the languages supported at each office or the opening hours on the official site, so please check when you book.
| Address | 3-95 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku, Okinawa |
|---|---|
| Shuttle | Free shuttle (stop 11-A, about 20 minutes to the office; around 1 hour when busy) |
| Languages | Official site has guide pages in English and other languages (please check the official site for office languages) |
| Insurance | CDW from ¥1,100 per day; NOC waiver “ECO” ¥440 per day; “Full Support” from ¥2,200 per day (separate from the displayed rate) |
| Hours | Please check the official website |
4th: OTS Rent-a-Car, Toyosaki Office (Naha Airport)
OTS Rent-a-Car, which is based mainly in Okinawa, has an English official website with English guide pages. What stands out is that it explains how to get there if you arrive on an international flight. From the international arrivals, go down from the second-floor level to the domestic side on the first floor and out through exit 4, and the stop is across the crosswalk. The stop is “10-A” for both domestic and international arrivals, and it is scheduled to be renamed “R-10.” The ride from the airport to the Toyosaki Office is about 15 to 20 minutes.
CDW is ¥1,650 per day, charged separately from the displayed rate. We could not confirm languages other than English, or the languages supported by office staff, on the official site.
| Location | Toyosaki, Tomigusuku, Okinawa (Toyosaki Office) |
|---|---|
| Shuttle | Free shuttle (stop 10-A [to be renamed R-10], about 15 to 20 minutes to the office) |
| Languages | English official website (please check the official site for other languages) |
| Insurance | CDW ¥1,650 per day (separate from the displayed rate) |
5th: ORIX Rent-A-Car, Naha Airport Branch
The Naha Airport branch is inside “Rent-A-Car Station Okinawa” and has a dedicated counter for foreign-language service. That is a big reassurance if you want to talk things through at the counter. However, the official site does not tell us which languages the counter at the airport branch handles. If you have a particular language in mind, ask in advance.
It is open 9:00-19:00, and the shuttle ride from the airport is about 20 minutes. CDW is optional, at ¥1,100 per 24 hours (¥2,200 for higher classes). One-way rental (returning the car at a different branch) is available within the main island of Okinawa. ETC card rental is also offered.
| Address | 1-1174 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku, Okinawa (inside Rent-A-Car Station Okinawa) |
|---|---|
| Hours | 9:00-19:00 (may vary over the New Year period) |
| Shuttle | Free shuttle (about 20 minutes to the office) |
| Languages | Dedicated foreign-language counter (please check the official site for supported languages) |
| Insurance | CDW from ¥1,100 per 24 hours (optional, separate from the displayed rate) |
| One-way rental | Available within the main island of Okinawa |
Language Support and Airport Directions Compared
| Company | Languages on the web | Foreign-language service at the office | Shuttle stop | Ride to office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UMUI Rent a Car | Booking and online check-in in 4 languages (Japanese, English, Korean, Traditional Chinese) | Please ask through official LINE or by phone | 14-C | – |
| Toyota Rent a Car | Official site: English, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Thai | Not stated on the official site | 11-A | About 5 min |
| Nippon Rent-A-Car | Multilingual pages including English | Not stated on the official site | 11-A | About 20 min |
| OTS Rent-a-Car | English site available | Not stated on the official site | 10-A (R-10) | About 15-20 min |
| ORIX Rent-A-Car | Please check the official site | Dedicated foreign-language counter | Please check the official site | About 20 min |
The “Foreign-language service at the office” column covers only what is written on the official sites. “Not stated” does not mean the service is unavailable. If you need it, we recommend asking in advance.
How to Choose by Situation
- You want to review the insurance and terms in your own language before you travel: UMUI Rent a Car, with online check-in in Japanese, English, Korean and Traditional Chinese
- You also need Thai-language information: Toyota Rent a Car, whose official site can be switched to Thai (Nippon Rent-A-Car also has multilingual pages including Thai)
- You want to talk things through in a foreign language at the counter: ORIX Rent-A-Car, with its dedicated counter (confirm the languages in advance)
- You want to know in advance how to get there from the international terminal: OTS Rent-a-Car, whose official site explains it
- You want an office close to the airport: Toyota Rent a Car, with a shuttle ride of about 5 minutes
- You want to rent with insurance included and no extra fees: UMUI Rent a Car
A Few Tips for Renting With Visitors From Overseas
- Check everyone’s license before you leave: For each person who will drive, confirm whether they have an International Driving Permit or a license with a Japanese translation. Carry your passport with the entry stamp too.
- Share the stop number and location in advance: Sharing a screenshot of the number from your booking confirmation screen or email makes it much easier to find the stop at an airport you do not know.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive with only a Taiwanese license?
At UMUI Rent a Car, you can drive with a Taiwanese license together with a Japanese translation. For details, see our driving licenses page.
Can I rent a car if I do not speak Japanese?
At UMUI Rent a Car, you can use the booking site and online check-in in four languages (Japanese, English, Korean and Traditional Chinese). If you have any concerns, please ask us through our official LINE in advance.
Summary
When you rent with visitors from overseas, it helps to check three things in advance, not just the price: language, license and how to get from the airport. If you want to handle everything from booking to document review in your own language, or rent with insurance included, please consider UMUI Rent a Car, Naha Airport Branch. Our whole team looks forward to meeting you in Okinawa.
Note: Prices, insurance, opening hours, shuttle stops, supported languages and other details are based on what was published on each company’s official website as of October 2026. Please check each company’s official website for the latest information.
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons (CC0 / CC BY 2.5 / CC BY-SA 4.0). Each photographer is credited in the photo caption.
Featured image: そらみみ / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
