Taking the bus may seem intimidating if you are not used to public transportation or cannot read Japanese well. Don’t worry. Many foreign residents and tourists successfully use Okinawa’s bus system. It just takes some getting used to. In this article, you will find links and advice that will help you become a public transit pro!

Public Transportation vs. Buying a Car

While your predecessor, other OkiJETs, and/or your coordinator may highly encourage you to buy a car, the ultimate decision rests in your hands. There are many things to consider: your finances, getting an IDP and later a Japanese driver’s license, the brutal summer heat, etc. Okinawa has a pretty well-developed bus system, so you can always decide later whether a car (or scooter, motorcycle, bicycle, or public transportation) is best for your lifestyle.

After you arrive in Okinawa, you will be expected at work the next business day. If you can walk to work from your apartment, you won’t need to worry about the bus system or buying a car until later. However, when searching for apartments, do consider the parking situation and what public transportation is accessible.

Don’t be discouraged by what some people will tell you about the bus system; it is pretty reliable, and drivers are very helpful. If buying a car is not feasible when you arrive, below is a guide to the bus system in Okinawa.

OKICA

OKICA is an IC card that can be used on the monorail and on buses in Okinawa (among other things). OKICA is the only IC card that can be used on buses in Okinawa. See the website for how to purchase an OKICA.

When boarding the bus, rather than taking a ticket, you can tap your OKICA. Tap the IC card again when you deboard the bus. However, you must add money to your card before using it. See the website for explanations on how to charge your card on buses, at monorail stations, and at charging machines.

Some JETs might want a registered OKICA. In some cases, having a registered OKICA may make reimbursing commuting expenses easier. However, this will depend on how and if your contracting organization reimburses travel. If your OKICA is registered, it also makes it much easier to recover if your card is ever lost—and you’ll even get your name printed on the card, yay!

Planning your Bus Route

When planning your bus route, the first hurdle to overcome is determining which bus to take. There are four different bus companies operating in Okinawa. They are: Okinawa Bus, Ryukyu Bus, Naha Kotsu and Toyo Bus.

If your Japanese reading level is low, I recommend:

Inputting your starting point and final destination into Google Maps (use your native language if you would like).
Using Google Maps, find the bus route that will get you to your destination. Note the route number and the bus stops where you will board and deboard the bus. Double-check the bus route using the links in “Resources for planning your route.” Sometimes Google Maps is not up to date.
1. Transferring might be stressful, so in Route Options I recommend selecting Fewest Transfers. You can also choose the time you would like to leave your starting point or the time you would like to arrive at your destination. However, the buses in Okinawa are rarely on time, so leave a buffer.
Before you set off for your bus stop, (1) check the street view of the bus stop in Google Maps so you know what your stop looks like and (2) check のりものNaviOkinawa to see where your bus is. This webpage is in Japanese, but you only need to (1) select your bus route (the number of the bus you will ride), (2) select the direction of the bus (up or down), and (3) select 全停留所表示 (show all stops). Then find your bus stop’s name and where the nearest bus is in real time. You can also see all of the bus stop names on the route.
Once you arrive at the bus stop, look at the bus stop sign. At each bus stop, there is a list of the buses that service the stop and their schedules. Confirm that you are at the right stop.

Resources for planning your route

Okinawa Bus List of Routes, Naha Kotsu Bus Company Maps, Ryukyu Bus Route Search (ルート検索), Toyo Bus Route Information (運行系統案内)
This page has a really useful animated map that shows bus routes.
If you can read Japanese well, I use the バスNAVITIME app to double-check my routes. It is all in Japanese, so it might be difficult for beginners (download for Apple and Google).
Okinawa is notorious for traffic, especially on rainy days. On the のりものNaviOkinawa webpage, you can track your bus in real time.
This page shows the route for the Yanbaru Express Bus, which specializes in going from the airport to the Northern part of Okinawa. You can head all the way up to the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium using this bus.

On the Bus

First-time bus riders, please check out these links! The Okinawa Bus company has a description of how to ride the bus in English with pictures. While the buses may look a little different, the process for riding local buses is basically the same among all the bus companies. Ryukyu Bus also has a page explaining how to ride the bus (in Japanese) with pictures. Watta Bus has its own infographic (available in multiple languages) and great videos in Japanese and English. These videos explain bus manners and how to board and deboard the buses.

Below is the general procedure for riding local buses:

1. When you see your bus approaching your stop, line up to board the bus. Most of the time, you board and deboard using the door at the front of the bus.

2. Wait for those on board to exit first. The bus driver will say “Douzo” when all is clear.

3. Tap your OKICA IC card or grab a paper ticket when you board the bus. The paper ticket will have a number on it, that number will determine your fare when exiting. There is a screen at the front of the bus with many numbers. Match the number on your ticket with the number on the screen. That’s the fare you’ll pay once you reach your stop.

4. Press the button before your stop to signal to the bus driver that you will get off at the next stop. While riding, there is an electronic voice that calls out the stops (in Japanese). There might also be a screen near the front of the bus that lists the next few stops and the final destination (in multiple languages). But, not all buses have a screen like this. Once you have pressed the button, it will light up.

5. Before deboarding, tap your OKICA or drop your ticket and exact fare (yen only) in the fare box. If you don’t have the exact fare, there is a change dispenser at the front of the bus that gives change for 1,000 yen bills, 500 yen coins, and 100 yen coins. Use the change dispenser and then pay your fare.

This is the source of the images used above. These things may look a little different depending on the age of the bus and the company.

Useful Japanese for Riding the Bus

Japanese	English	Notes
バス停 Basu tei	Bus stop	Search バス停 in Google Maps to see nearby bus stops (in Japanese).
次は___でございます。 Tsugi wa [bus stop name] de gozaimasu.	Next, is [bus stop name].	After hearing this announcement, press the button if you want to get off at the next stop.
次は__です。 Tsugi wa [bus stop name]	Next, is [bus stop name].	If the bus has a screen for the stop names (not the fare screen) it will display the name of the next stop like this.
次、止まります。 Tsugi, tomarimasu.	The bus will stop at the next bus stop.	After the button is pushed this will be announced.
このバスは＿に行きますか？ Kono basu wa [bus stop name] ni ikimasu ka?	Does this bus go to [bus stop name]?	Ask the bus driver this question to confirm you are boarding the correct bus.
チャージをお願いします。 Cha-ji o onegaishimasu.	Charge, please.	Say this to the bus driver when deboarding the bus to add money (using cash) to your OKICA. Then pay your fare.