Okinawa

Mongolian citizens need a Japanese visa. Residents of Mongolia apply online for a JAPAN eVISA through VFS Global: a single-entry tourist visa for up to 90 days, fee 357,000₮ since 29 June 2026, five times the old rate (multiple-entry 714,000₮), plus a 55,000₮ VFS service charge, about 5 working days. Flying Incheon–Naha you clear immigration at Naha Airport. Attach a valid passport, return ticket and hotel booking.

Tip: Get the visa first, then buy the ticket.

Japan only recognises international driving permits issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention; Mongolia is not a party to it, so a Mongolian licence or a Mongolian-issued international permit cannot be used to drive or rent a car in Japan. Book buses, shuttles or day tours to the aquarium and the northern islands.

Tip: If you live in a Geneva Convention country such as Korea and hold that country's international permit, you can drive.

Before flying, enter your passport, flight and hotel on Visit Japan Web, fill in the immigration and customs declarations and save the QR code. Hospitals in Japan are very expensive, so travel insurance that covers diving and water sports is a must.

From Naha Airport station to Kencho-mae (Kokusai-dori) takes about 13 minutes and costs ¥290; Makishi and Miebashi cost ¥320. No changes, and the ticket machines have English menus. Check on a map which station is closest to your hotel.

Airport limousine buses run straight to the big beach resorts in Onna, Chatan and Motobu; they have a luggage hold, so they are easier with suitcases and children. Buy tickets at the bus counter in arrivals.

There is a taxi rank outside arrivals. The centre is close, so for a family with luggage a taxi is not much dearer than the monorail. On Sunday daytime Kokusai-dori is pedestrianised, so the taxi drops you on a side street.

If your phone supports eSIM, buy and install one from Airalo, Ubigi or Japan Wireless before the flight: a 7-day 1–3 GB plan costs about $4–8, a 30-day 10 GB plan about $16–18. It works the moment you land.

Tip: Download Okinawa maps and Japanese translation for offline use — signal is weak in the northern forest.

Naha Airport arrivals has counters for tourist data SIMs and pocket Wi-Fi rental. One router is enough for a family; return it at the airport when you leave.

The monorail 24-hour pass costs ¥1,000 (children ¥500) and the 48-hour pass ¥1,800 (children ¥900), counted from purchase. Shuri Castle, Kokusai-dori and Tomari Port (for Kerama) are all on the line. Suica and OKICA cards also work.

Bus 117 runs directly from Naha Airport and Naha Bus Terminal to Churaumi Aquarium in a little over two hours; the Yanbaru Express bus is cheaper. They run once or twice an hour, so leave early.

The easiest option without a car is an English-guided day bus tour from Naha: Manzamo, the aquarium, Kouri Island and the pineapple park in one day. Book ahead on Klook, KKday or Veltra; JUNGLIA has its own shuttle buses.

Seven Bank ATMs inside 7-Eleven stores are the most reliable for foreign cards, with English menus. Cards work in most hotels and big shops; market stalls, small eateries, island ferry ticket offices and buses use cash.

Tourists spending over ¥5,000 in one shop on one day are exempt from the 10% consumption tax. From 1 November 2026 the rules change: you pay the full price in the shop and claim the refund at the airport before departure.

Okinawa Prefecture will charge an accommodation tax from 1 February 2027: 2% of the per-person nightly rate, capped at ¥2,000. Hotels may collect it separately.

Okinawa soba — thick noodles in broth with pork ribs; goya champuru — stir-fry with bitter melon; rafute — braised pork belly; taco rice — Mexican-style rice that children love; umi-budo — 'sea grapes'; Blue Seal ice cream.

Tip: No tipping in restaurants.

Naha's public market by Kokusai-dori: pick colourful tropical fish and crab downstairs and have them cooked in the restaurants upstairs. Some stalls close on set days of the month.

Onigiri and ready meals from FamilyMart, Lawson and 7-Eleven are cheap and fresh. Okinawa's A&W, Jef burgers and supermarket bento are handy to take to the beach. Small beach cafés close early.

Police 110, ambulance and fire 119, Coast Guard 118 for accidents at sea — free, 24 hours. The JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline 050-3816-2787 (24 hours, English).

Swim only at beaches with lifeguards and jellyfish nets: box jellyfish (habu-kurage) appear in summer, and currents are strong off rocky shores. Don't stand on coral; wear water shoes. Typhoons stop flights and ferries, so install the Safety tips app and keep the last day of your trip free.

Nanbu Tokushukai Hospital has an international patient desk and JCI accreditation. Naha City Hospital offers three-way phone interpreting. Call your insurer's assistance line first and they will direct you to a hospital that bills them directly.

Don't touch or feed coral and turtles; many beaches forbid taking coral, shells or starfish. Choose a reef-safe sunscreen. Take your rubbish back from the beach.

Be quiet and respectful at Shuri Castle and Naminoue Shrine; follow the photo rules around restoration areas. Do not photograph or approach the fences and gates of US military bases.

Street bins are rare: carry rubbish back to your hotel. No phone calls on the monorail or buses. Queue, and let passengers off first. Don't walk into shops or restaurants in swimwear.

Google Maps shows the monorail and most bus times. For Okinawa bus routes and stops in more detail, the Bus Navi Okinawa site works in English.

Google Translate's camera mode translates menus and signs on the spot; download the Japanese pack for offline use.

Visit Japan Web — the immigration and customs QR code. Safety tips — typhoon, earthquake and tsunami alerts. Visit Okinawa Japan — official information on beaches, festivals and island trips.

The Yui Rail from the city centre to Naha Airport takes about 13–16 minutes. Plan to be at the airport 2–3 hours before an international flight; in typhoon season check your flight status that morning.

From 1 November 2026 the tax-free refund is collected at the airport before the flight — keep receipts and carry the goods unopened. Connecting via Incheon, check your bags are checked through to Ulaanbaatar.