Okinawa 3 Days, 2 Nights by Car for Travelers from Taiwan: A Model Itinerary from Naha Airport

Flying from Taiwan to Okinawa for just 2 nights and 3 days, and wondering how much you can see by car? This guide lays out a road trip that starts the day you land at Naha Airport’s international terminal: central Okinawa and a beach sunset on Day 1, the Churaumi Aquarium and Kouri Island in the north on Day 2, and scenic spots and a World Heritage site in the south on Day 3. It packs the places Taiwanese travelers most often choose into three days.

The article follows the whole flow, from arriving on an international flight and picking up your car at the UMUI Rent-a-Car Naha Airport store to returning it on the last day and getting back to the airport, all from the driver’s point of view. It also covers the essentials of the license rules (Taiwanese license plus Japanese translation), the time budget for each day, and tips on parking and refueling. For details on each spot, follow the links to our existing articles.

The Big Picture: A 3-Day, 2-Night Model Route

The 3-day schedule at a glance

On Day 1 you only drive as far as Chatan in central Okinawa after landing, on Day 2 you head north, and on Day 3 you go south and return to Naha. Actual times shift with your arrival and departure flights, so treat the times below as a rough guide.

The Day 3 southern course takes about 4–5 hours. If your flight home leaves in the late afternoon or evening, you can follow it as is. If your flight is around midday, switch to the “relax in Naha” option described later.

Where to stay and how long to rent

For night 1, the Chatan area around Mihama American Village is convenient. You can walk to dinner from the hotel, so you do not have to drive far at night after a tiring arrival day. For night 2, we recommend central Naha, which makes it easy to head south the next morning and is close to the return store. Parking availability and fees differ by hotel, so when you book, check on the assumption that you will arrive by car.

The rental period runs from the pickup day to the return day, which is 3 days here. See the price page for rates and the rental flow page for how it works. The booking site is available in Japanese, English, Korean and Traditional Chinese.

Before You Leave Home

Taiwanese license plus Japanese translation (日文譯本)

To drive in Japan, a Taiwanese driver needs the original Taiwanese license plus the original Japanese translation (日文譯本), not an International Driving Permit. A Taiwanese International Driving Permit is not valid in Japan. Every person who will drive needs these documents, including a companion who plans to take turns at the wheel.

You can also get a Japanese translation after arriving in Japan, but you cannot drive for several days until you receive it. The safest approach is to prepare it in Taiwan before you leave. The application steps and cautions are explained in Driving in Okinawa with a Taiwanese License. UMUI’s own guidance is also on the international driving permit page.

Booking and online check-in

After booking, we recommend completing online check-in on your smartphone. You photograph your license and other documents, sign the rental agreement on screen, and a QR code appears that you simply show at the store. According to the official site, the counter procedure takes as little as 5 minutes. The form has fields for your arrival flight’s airline and flight number, so enter your international flight number as well.

You can pay by credit card, QR code payment or electronic money; the store does not handle cash (if you paid in advance when booking online, no payment is needed at the store).

Driving differences from Taiwan

Taiwan drives on the right, but Japan drives on the left, and the driver’s seat is on the right. Before you set off, check the positions of the turn signal and wiper levers in the parking lot, and pull out slowly. A Japanese stop sign is a red inverted triangle, and you must come to a complete stop before the stop line. Seat belts are required for all seats, including the front passenger and rear seats, and using a smartphone while driving is prohibited. Set your navigation before you depart.

As for ETC, we could not find any mention of it on UMUI’s official pages, so we cannot say either way here. If you want to use it, please check by phone (050-1783-5687) or email (info@u-mui.com) before booking. Expressway tolls are paid by the renter.

Day 1: Arrive on an International Flight, Pick Up Your Car, Head to Central Okinawa

From the airport to the Naha Airport store

The arrival lobby for international flights is on the 1st floor. After immigration and baggage claim, take the free shuttle to the Naha Airport store. The Naha Airport store is not inside the airport; it is a store in Tomigusuku City, and you pick up your car there. It is open 8:00–20:00 every day of the year.

However, the official site does not say where to board the shuttle, how often it runs, or how pickup works for international arrivals. We will not guess, so check your booking confirmation email and the notice you receive after online check-in, and if in doubt, call (050-1783-5687, 8:00–20:00) to be safe. For how to move around the airport, see Naha Airport Shuttle and First-Timer FAQ.

Sunset at Chatan Sunset Beach

After picking up your car, head north on Route 58 to Sunset Beach in Chatan. As the name says, it is a famous spot for sunsets, and you can stroll along the shore while the sun goes down. In mid-October the sun sets in Naha at around 18:00, and it gets dark quickly, so if you arrive late, it is fine to save the sunset for another day.

The 2026 swimming season runs from April 10 to November 30, but in October it closes at 17:00, so you cannot swim during sunset hours. Follow the manager’s instructions, stay out of the water and just walk along the shore.

For more details, see our article on the central coast drive.

Dinner at Mihama American Village

Right next to Sunset Beach, Mihama American Village is a complex with shops, restaurants, a movie theater and a Ferris wheel. It is a good place for dinner and souvenir shopping. Route 58 tends to be crowded after sunset, so having a meal here and waiting for the traffic to ease is one option. Opening hours differ by shop, so check the official site for the places you want to visit.

If your hotel is within walking distance, leave the car there on nights when you plan to drink and walk instead. Drunk driving is punished severely, and passengers can be punished too.

Route 58 in the evening, and late-arriving flights

On Route 58 from Naha toward Urasoe and Ginowan, there are “bus-only lane” restrictions from 7:30 to 9:00 in the morning and from 17:30 to 19:00 in the evening. During these hours, ordinary vehicles such as rental cars may not drive in the bus-only lane. With fewer usable lanes, traffic builds up easily, so it is wise to plan on reaching Chatan before 17:30 on Day 1. Dates and sections of the restriction can change, so always check the signs and road markings.

If your flight arrives in the evening or later, the Naha Airport store closes at 20:00, so contact the store before booking. On a late-arrival day, you can also spend night 1 in Naha and leave central Okinawa for later.

Day 2: From Chatan to the North — Churaumi Aquarium and Kouri Island

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

The highlight of the northern drive is the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Ocean Expo Park, Motobu Town. Whale sharks and manta rays glide slowly past the 7,500 m³ “Kuroshio Sea” tank, a sight that takes your breath away every time. Plan on 2–3 hours inside. If you have lunch at the cafe in the aquarium or at a restaurant in the park, you save the trouble of moving.

At the neighboring Okichan Theater, a free dolphin show is held 5 times a day (10:30, 11:30, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, about 20 minutes each). Note that the shows are canceled from January 4 to 9, 2027 for facility repairs. Times may change, so check the official announcement on the day.

From Chatan the distance is shorter than from Naha Airport, but the time depends on traffic, so check your navigation before leaving. If you can leave around 8:00, it is easier to avoid the busiest time just before noon. An overview of driving in the north is also in our 2-day northern Okinawa drive article.

Kouri Bridge and Kouri Island

It is about 30–40 minutes by car from the aquarium. Kouri Bridge, which links Yagaji Island and Kouri Island, is a free bridge about 2 km long, with emerald-green water stretching away on both sides. However, stopping and parking on the bridge are prohibited. If you want to take photos, park in the free lot at the Minamizume Viewpoint before the bridge (on the Yagaji Island side).

Once on the island, you can look at the sea from Kouri Beach at the foot of the bridge, or take in the bridge and sea from Kouri Ocean Tower on the island’s high ground (10:00–18:00, last entry 17:30, adults 1,000 yen, children 500 yen). The island is small, about 10 minutes by car for a full loop, so 2 hours is plenty.

Leave the north before sunset and head to Naha

Many roads in the north have few streetlights, so it is safer to leave the north before the sun sets. It is about 2 hours from Naha Airport to Churaumi Aquarium and about 30–40 minutes from the aquarium to Kouri Bridge, so from Kouri Island via the Okinawa Expressway, expect about 2.5 hours. If you leave the island around 16:00, you can get on the expressway before it is fully dark.

Gas stations become scarce once you leave the towns in the north. So that you are not rushed on the last day, find a place to refuel on Day 2. We recommend having dinner at a relaxed pace once you are back in Naha.

Day 3: From Naha to the South — Ocean Views and a World Heritage Site

Niraikanai Bridge

On the last day, leave Naha around 9:00 for Nanjo City. It takes about 40 minutes to 1 hour by car from Naha Airport to the main spots in Nanjo. The first highlight is Niraikanai Bridge, which sweeps in a big arc toward the sea. Drive it heading downhill from the “Tsukishiro” side of Prefectural Route 86 toward Route 331, and the sea stays in front of you the whole way down.

The view is a distraction and it is easy to speed up, so keep your distance and obey the legal speed limit. You cannot stop on the bridge. The bridge may be closed during typhoons or bad weather.

Sefa Utaki

Sefa Utaki is a World Heritage site regarded as the highest sacred place of the Ryukyu Kingdom. You buy your ticket not at the entrance to the utaki but at the ticket office of the Nanjo City Regional Products Center, and you also set that center as your navigation destination. Plan on 50–60 minutes for the visit including walking, and the walk from the parking lot to the entrance takes 7–10 minutes.

From November 2, 2026 to January 5, 2027, because of drainage work, entry is limited to Gomonguchi at the entrance (admission is planned to be free), and you cannot go in to Sangui deeper inside. In addition, on rest days set by the lunar calendar (November 9–11 in 2026), you cannot enter the utaki. If your trip dates overlap, check the latest announcement from Nanjo City.

This is a sacred place, and visitors are asked to avoid clothing that shows a lot of skin. Wear shoes that are easy to walk in, and be careful because the stone paving gets slippery in the rain. For highlights and dress, see our half-day southern Okinawa drive article.

Chinen Misaki Park, with a view of Kudaka Island

Chinen Misaki Park, just behind the Nanjo City Regional Products Center, is a cape park surrounded by the sea on three sides. There are a red-tiled pavilion and a walking path, and you can see Kudaka Island floating offshore. A short 30-minute stop in the sea breeze is a fitting way to wrap up the trip.

If your flight is around midday: relax in Naha

If your flight leaves around midday, skip the south and spend the day in Naha. Kokusai-dori is a sightseeing street about 1.6 km long, and since the street itself is subject to bus-only road rules, the basic approach is to park in a nearby pay parking lot and walk. Spaces and fees vary by place and time, so check on site. We explain how to think about parking in our article on sightseeing and parking in Naha.

Returning the Car and Getting Back to the Airport

Return it with a full tank

The rule is to fill the tank at a gas station within 2 km of the return store and show the refueling receipt to the store. If you cannot return it full, the charge is calculated under a separate formula and costs more. Gas stations near Naha Airport can get crowded with rental cars before return, so refuel early. Putting in the wrong type of fuel is not covered by the compensation, so check the label on the fuel cap.

Work back from your departure time

Cars can be returned only at our stores, not anywhere else. Because international flights also involve departure procedures, it is safest to set your return so that it is finished 2–3 hours before departure. If you go past the scheduled return time, an overtime charge applies, so contact the store in advance if you want to change it. Check each airline’s guidance for its check-in cutoff.

After returning at the Naha Airport store, take the free shuttle to the airport

After you return the car at the Naha Airport store, you can use the free shuttle to the airport. However, the official site does not state how often it runs after return or how long it takes, so we cannot give a number for how many minutes early to return. Add up the time for refueling, the return check, the wait for the shuttle and airport procedures, and work backward with plenty of margin. The store opens at 8:00, so if you are on an early-morning flight, consult the store in advance.

FAQ

Can I stay a night in the north and rearrange the itinerary?

Yes. Staying the second night around Nago or Motobu, then driving back to Naha on Day 3 via Nakijin Castle Ruins, Sesoko Island and Manzamo, is also a popular option. You will not be able to visit the south in that case. It suits travelers with a later flight who want to enjoy the north at a more relaxed pace. For details, see our 2-day northern Okinawa drive article.

What if I am not confident driving on the first night?

There is no need to push yourself on arrival day. If you are not used to it yet, driving only as far as central Okinawa (Chatan), close to the airport, is enough. At night, leave the car at the hotel and enjoy walking around the area.

Can we take turns driving?

Of the three days, Day 2, with its round trip to the north, has the longest driving time, so taking turns makes it much easier. In that case, every driver needs the original license and Japanese translation, and all drivers’ names and signatures must be on the rental agreement. If someone who is not registered as a driver drives, the car is not covered by compensation.

Taiwan and Okinawa are an easy flight apart. If you start driving on the day you arrive, in three days you can enjoy the sunset in central Okinawa, the sea in the north and the scenery in the south, and see different faces of Okinawa. UMUI Rent-a-Car offers a free shuttle from Naha Airport to our store and a booking site in Traditional Chinese, so please consider us for your trip from Taiwan.

*Information in this article, such as hours and prices, is as of October 2026. It may change, so please check each facility’s official website before you go. Travel times are estimates without traffic. Information about UMUI Rent-a-Car is based on the official website (u-mui.com).

Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0 / CC BY 4.0 / CC BY-SA 2.0 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / CC BY-SA 4.0). Photographers are credited in each photo’s caption.