Okinawa Airport is the biggest airport in this Prefecture. You can take a flight to any other Island in Okinawa from there. It is one of the busiest airports in Japan, serving 1,650,000 passengers a year. Here are some of the facts about this airport.
1. About the Airport
There are two Terminals at this airport: the Main Terminal for domestic flights and the International Terminal. They are a 100 meters away from each other. Okinawa Airport was renewed in 1999 and now it is a modern facility offering various amenities. It is not just an airport; you can dine in its fine restaurants, buy some nice gifts and souvenirs in duty free and souvenir shops; there is even a kids’ corner and a game center for them to enjoy the time while waiting for the flight. The airport features lots of subtropical plants and flowers typical for Okinawa. There are also attractive aquariums where you can enjoy watching the amazing ocean animals.
2. Transportation to and from the Airport
After the Okinawa Urban Monorail had been completed, it became quite easy to access the airport. It takes less than 30 minutes to get from the Airport Station to Shuri Station. There are different Bus companies offering the ride from and to the airport such as Naha Bus Co., Okinawa Bus Ltd. and Toyo Bus. There are also shuttle buses and an Airport Limousine Bus taking passengers to the hotels all over the island. If you love driving, you can rent a car from some car rental agencies at the domestic terminal exit, or you can take a taxi if you like.
3. Airlines Servicing Okinawa Airport
As it is said before, this airport has two Terminals. The following airlines service the domestic flights terminal: All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Japan Transocean Air and Ryujyu Air Commuter. They fly to Haneda, Itami, Kobe, Kansai, Najoya, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Nagoya, Miyko, Fukuoka and other cities in Japan. The International terminal is served by China Airline, China Eastern Airline, Asiana Airline and Hong Kong Express Airways.
4. In Case of Typhoon
Typhoons are common in Okinawa, so the weather can sometimes be really wild especially if you come from July to September. If there is a typhoon near the day of your scheduled flight, you should know some essential things on how to deal with the situation. Contact your travel agents or hotel staff as they may know what is happening and find out about the policy in such situations. You can go to the airport, where you can take a number on the waiting list in order to get on some of the next available flights. You should also think about a possibility of spending the night in the area, so it is good to try and book a room.
5. Service Facilities
Okinawa Airport offers various service facilities. There is a Tourism Information Counter where you can get different types of information as well as maps. At the General Information Counter you can get information about International flights. The Exchange Counter is where you get currency exchange, mobile rental services, travel insurance and high quality interpretation service. On the third floor, there is also a big Event Hall as well as a male and female Prayer Room. If you have some more time before the flight, you can go to the Observation Deck on the third floor and enjoy as you watch the planes take off and land.
6. Shopping at Okinawa Airport
This is the airport with a great number of different shops, so you can never get bored. There is something for everyone. There are shops selling a huge selection of famous Okinawa souvenirs. There are places where you can buy the famous healthy food and various local sweets and snacks. You might want to buy some foreign branded products such as jewelry, watches or sunglasses and perfumes. Or you may look for some beauty collections. Just choose from the wide assortment. The friendly staff always warmly welcomes you with a big smile!
7. Food and Beverages at Okinawa Airport
There is a number of various restaurants at this airport, too. At Adan you can enjoy your time in a wonderful space tasting the great cuisine in typical Okinawa atmosphere. Hayashiya offers delicious original ice cream you can find only there. At Fuugetsu there is a huge menu of various kinds of food and beverages to choose from. And Sora Terrace offers great Okinawan dishes to enjoy along with the wonderful view of the ocean.
Information
- Name: Okinawa Airport
- Address: 150 Kagamizu, Naha, Okinawa Prefecture 901-0142, Japan
- Tel: +81 98-840-1151
- Website: www.naha-airport.co.jp/en/
As you can see, Okinawa Airport is a beautiful airport offering a lot of different services and amenities in order to meet all the passengers’ needs. Even if you have to wait for a longer period of time until your flight schedule, you have various options on how to spend the time.
Have a good trip and travel!
