Note: This article was written by UMUI Rent a Car, which operates the Naha Airport and Omoromachi branches. We have ranked ourselves first. For the other companies, we have used only what we could confirm on their official websites as of October 2026.
Renting a car in Okinawa as an overseas visitor, or arranging one for a friend, business partner, or relative who is coming from abroad? Two things tend to cause trouble first: language and your driver’s license. If the booking screen is only in Japanese, the traveler cannot use it, and someone ends up typing everything in for them. If the license is the wrong kind, you may not be able to take the car on the day.
This article is for international visitors, and for Japanese speakers who are arranging a rental for them. If you searched for “Naha Airport car rental” or “Okinawa car rental” and want to rent in the city instead, we have organized five rental companies in Omoromachi and the Naha Shintoshin area of Naha around three points: language support, foreign driver’s licenses, and how easy they are to reach from the station. Omoromachi Station is 19 minutes from Naha Airport Station by Yui Rail, at 320 yen for an adult.
What to check when arranging a car for an international visitor
1. Can the traveler handle the booking and check-in personally?
Renting a car involves several steps where the driver has to read something: the booking, entering details before departure, and reviewing the rental terms and coverage. Whether these are offered in a language the traveler can read makes a big difference, both for the person arranging the rental and for the driver’s peace of mind on the day. A multilingual official website is one thing; getting help in a foreign language at the shop is another. In this article we write only what we could confirm officially, and where we could not, we say “please check the official website.”
2. Can the traveler drive with their foreign driver’s license?
If you do not hold a Japanese license, you need one of the following to drive in Japan. Our driving licenses page describes these three options:
- International Driving Permit: issued under the Geneva Convention by a Geneva Convention member country. You also need your passport, with an entry stamp that shows your date of arrival in Japan.
- Foreign driver’s license plus an official Japanese translation: this applies to licenses from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, and Taiwan. For the Japanese translation, see the JAF information page as well.
- U.S. Forces Japan individual driving permit (SOFA) plus U.S. military ID
In other words, many travelers cannot rent a car with their home license alone. Please tell the driver in advance to obtain an International Driving Permit before leaving home.
3. How easy is it to get from the airport to the shop?
Unlike offices outside the airport that use shuttle buses, the shops around Omoromachi Station can be reached by Yui Rail. It takes 19 minutes from Naha Airport Station and costs 320 yen for an adult. Not having to find a shuttle bus stop is reassuring for first-time visitors to Okinawa. Yui Rail also has a 1-day pass (1,000 yen for an adult, 24 hours) and a 2-day pass (1,800 yen for an adult, 48 hours).
Five car rental companies in Omoromachi and Naha Shintoshin for international visitors
No. 1: UMUI Rent a Car, Omoromachi Branch
Forgive us for singing our own praises, but number one is us, UMUI Rent a Car. The main reason is that our booking site and online check-in are available in four languages: Japanese, English, Korean, and Traditional Chinese.
You can complete online check-in on your smartphone before departure. You can enter your details and review the coverage and the rental terms in a language you can read, all in advance. If you are arranging the rental for someone, you can make the booking and then just send them the check-in link, and preparation is done. On the day, the procedure mainly consists of checking the license and an explanation of the car. We have not been able to confirm for this article whether foreign-language-speaking staff are always on site, so we do not claim it. If that is a concern, please contact us through our official LINE account before booking.
On licenses, as described above, we accept three patterns: an International Driving Permit, a license from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, or Taiwan with a Japanese translation, and SOFA. You can check the required documents in advance on the guidance pages in four languages.
Another thing international visitors should know about is coverage. CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) and NOC (Non-Operation Charge) coverage are both included in the base rate, so no insurance fee is added at the counter. Explaining a rental fee structure and coverage options at the counter across a language barrier is a burden for both the customer and the staff. If coverage is already included, that situation largely does not arise. You can check the coverage details on our coverage page.
The Omoromachi branch is a 3-minute walk from Omoromachi Station on the Yui Rail and is open from 9:00 to 18:00 every day of the year. Payment is by credit card or electronic money; cash is not accepted. There is no airport shuttle, and one-way rentals (returning to a different branch) are not available. Our five vehicle classes are Compact Car A and B, Compact SUV, Station Wagon, and Minivan. For example, Compact Car A is 6,600 yen for 24 hours or 5,500 yen for 12 hours (standard season), and 4,400 yen per day from the second day.
| Address | 4-17-30 Omoromachi, Naha, Okinawa |
|---|---|
| Hours | 9:00 to 18:00 (open every day of the year) |
| Access | 3-minute walk from Omoromachi Station on the Yui Rail (no airport shuttle) |
| Languages | Booking and online check-in: Japanese, English, Korean, Traditional Chinese |
| Accepted licenses | International Driving Permit / licenses from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, Taiwan plus Japanese translation / SOFA |
| Sample rates | Compact Car A: 6,600 yen for 24 hours, 5,500 yen for 12 hours, 4,400 yen per day from the 2nd day (standard season, CDW and NOC included) |
| Payment | Credit card and electronic money (no cash) |
| Phone | +81-50-1783-5687 |
No. 2: Toyota Rent a Car, Omoromachi Ekimae DFS Okinawa Naha Branch
This is a major company with branches across the country, and its official website can be switched to English, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Thai. The Omoromachi Ekimae shop is on the 2nd floor of T Galleria Okinawa (formerly DFS Galleria Okinawa), and the official information says it is about a 3-minute walk from the ticket gate to the entrance. It is about 18 minutes from Naha Airport Station.
However, the branch page does not mention English support, so we could not confirm whether you can get help in a foreign language at this branch. Hours are 9:00 to 18:00, and ETC card rental and barrier-free access are available. There is no shuttle, delivery, or self check-in.
| Address | 4-1 Omoromachi, Naha, Okinawa, DFS Okinawa Naha (T Galleria Okinawa), 2nd floor |
|---|---|
| Hours | 9:00 to 18:00 |
| Access | About 3 minutes on foot from the ticket gate to the entrance (per the official site). No shuttle or delivery |
| Languages | Official website: English, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Thai (for in-shop support, please check the official website) |
| Phone | 098-860-1530 |
No. 3: ORIX Rent-A-Car, Omoromachi Ekimae Branch
This branch is on the 2nd floor of T Galleria Okinawa, directly connected to Omoromachi Station, and is open daily from 9:00 to 19:00 (may differ around New Year and on public holidays). The Omoromachi Ekimae branch page has no mention of foreign languages.
For reference, the official branch list says that the same company’s Naha Airport branch has a “dedicated foreign-language counter”. That applies to the airport branch, though, so you will need to confirm the Omoromachi Ekimae branch separately. One-way rentals are possible with both pickup and return on the main island of Okinawa (excluding The Busena Terrace counter). ETC card rental is not available.
| Address | 4-1 Omoromachi, Naha, Okinawa, DFS Okinawa Naha store, 2nd floor |
|---|---|
| Hours | 9:00 to 19:00 (may differ around New Year and on public holidays) |
| Access | Directly connected to Omoromachi Station |
| Languages | Not listed on the branch page (the Naha Airport branch has a dedicated foreign-language counter) |
| One-way | Possible on the main island of Okinawa (excluding The Busena Terrace counter) |
No. 4: Sky Rent a Car, T Galleria Okinawa Branch
This branch is next to Omoromachi Station and is entered through the 2nd-floor connecting passage. It is open from 9:00 to 19:00 every day of the year, and there is no airport shuttle. The branch page has no mention of foreign languages, but it does link to a guidance page for international visitors to Japan.
There is a campaign for free child seats on official-website bookings (up to 2 seats with the Family Plan) and a “Rakuraku Return Plan” that removes the need to return the car with a full tank.
| Address | 4-1 Omoromachi, Naha, Okinawa, T Galleria Okinawa 2F |
|---|---|
| Hours | 9:00 to 19:00 (open every day of the year) |
| Access | Next to Omoromachi Station (via the 2nd-floor connecting passage). No airport shuttle |
| Languages | Not listed on the branch page (link to a guidance page for international visitors) |
| Features | “Rakuraku Return Plan” with no full-tank return, free child seats for official-website bookings |
No. 5: Nippon Rent-A-Car, Omoromachi Ekimae Office
This office is on the 2nd floor of T Galleria Okinawa, directly connected to Omoromachi Station, and is open 9:00 to 19:00 every day (the same on public holidays). It is about 19 minutes from Naha Airport Station, and the company’s Okinawa page also describes it as within a 5-minute walk of the station. T Galleria opens at 10:00, but the 2nd-floor front entrance to this office is accessible from 9:00.
The office page has no mention of rates, coverage, or English support, so we could not confirm language support at this office. The company’s official website does offer multilingual pages, including English and Thai.
| Address | 4-1 Omoromachi, Naha, Okinawa, DFS Okinawa Naha store, 2nd floor |
|---|---|
| Hours | 9:00 to 19:00 (the same on public holidays) |
| Access | Directly connected to Omoromachi Station (about 19 minutes from Naha Airport Station) |
| Phone | 050-1712-2418 |
| Languages | Not listed on the office page (the official website has multilingual pages, including English) |
Comparison of the five companies
| Company | Language support (as confirmed officially) | Access from the station | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| UMUI Rent a Car | Booking and online check-in in 4 languages (Japanese, English, Korean, Traditional Chinese) | 3-minute walk from Omoromachi Station | 9:00 to 18:00 |
| Toyota Rent a Car | Official website in English, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Thai (in-shop support not confirmed) | About 3 minutes from the ticket gate (official) | 9:00 to 18:00 |
| ORIX Rent-A-Car | Not listed on the branch page (dedicated foreign-language counter at the airport branch) | Directly connected to the station | 9:00 to 19:00 |
| Sky Rent a Car | Link to a guidance page for international visitors | Next to the station | 9:00 to 19:00 |
| Nippon Rent-A-Car | Not listed on the office page (multilingual pages on the official website) | Directly connected to the station | 9:00 to 19:00 |
Several companies have multilingual official websites. Among these five, though, the one where we could confirm from official shop information that everything from booking to pre-departure procedures can be completed in four languages is UMUI Rent a Car. For the other companies, please check shop-level support on their official websites or by phone.
How to choose when you are the one arranging the rental
- You want the traveler to handle booking and check-in personally: UMUI Rent a Car, with online check-in in four languages
- Someone will be driving with a Taiwan license (with a Japanese translation): UMUI Rent a Car, which accepts licenses from six countries and regions, including Taiwan, with a translation
- You want to ask about in-shop foreign-language support before deciding: for Toyota, ORIX, Sky, and Nippon, contact each company through its phone number or official website
- You want a shop close to a Yui Rail station: ORIX, Sky, Nippon, and Toyota (all on the 2nd floor of T Galleria Okinawa), which are directly connected to or next to the station
- You are traveling with children and want a child seat: Sky Rent a Car, which offers them free with official-website bookings
Checklist before the day for an international visitor
- Confirm the type of license. Is it an International Driving Permit, or a license with a Japanese translation? A passport is also needed on the day.
- Match the booker’s and the driver’s names. If you book under your own name, send the check-in link to the person who will drive, so their details are entered correctly.
- Share the opening hours. The Omoromachi branch is open 9:00 to 18:00. If the flight arrives late at night, think about whether to rent that same day.
- Confirm the payment method. UMUI Rent a Car does not accept cash. Ask them to bring a credit card or use electronic money.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rent with just my home country’s driver’s license?
It depends on the country or region. At UMUI Rent a Car, you can drive with an International Driving Permit, with a license from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, or Taiwan together with a Japanese translation, or with a U.S. Forces Japan SOFA permit. For details, see our driving licenses page.
Can someone who cannot read Japanese make a booking?
UMUI Rent a Car’s booking site is available in Japanese, English, Korean, and Traditional Chinese. You can see how the day goes on our rental flow page.
How do I get from the airport to the shop?
Take the Yui Rail from Naha Airport Station to Omoromachi Station, which takes 19 minutes. UMUI Rent a Car’s Omoromachi branch is a 3-minute walk from the station. There is no airport shuttle.
Summary
When arranging a rental car for an international visitor, preparing the language and the license makes the difference. We believe UMUI Rent a Car’s Omoromachi branch, where booking and online check-in can be done in four languages and coverage is included in the rate, is a low-burden choice for both the person arranging the rental and the traveler. You can check rates on our fee page. If you have questions, you can also contact us through our official LINE account, or call +81-50-1783-5687.
Note: Rates, coverage, opening hours, language support, and other information are as 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). Each photographer is credited in the photo caption.
Featured image: Kugel / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
