Naha Airport, Okinawa: How is the 6th busiest airport in Japan?

Naha Airport, Okinawa: How is the 6th busiest airport in Japan?

[Music] Welcome back to the adventurous parenting playbook. And on this episode, we are flying from Kobe airport to Naha airport on Okinawa Island. If you haven’t seen the previous episode, we’re in Kobe airport and you can see how that airport stacks up against Okinawa airport. Now, Okinawa, it is 1.46 million people and we are flying into Naha airport, which is the capital and the population here is around 312,000. So, let’s get to Naha airport. Because this airport is on an island, I thought it was not going to be busy. But here’s a fact. This is the sixth busiest airport in all of Japan. And here’s a list of all of the five busier airports in Japan. Now, I arrived here relaxed like a Jamaican, but once I saw the airport, I was like, “Yeah, man. This is quite big and busy, but not a crazy busy man.” Anyway, the airport is very well organized and modern, and navigating the airport was very simple. We have arrived at Okinawa, just at the airport, about to claim our bags and then get the rental car and get the show on the road. So, looking forward to it. See you in a moment. The airport has around 38 to 40 gates. And by the way, if you want me to do one of these videos in full Jamaican commentary, just comment below Jamaica with a green heart and I will do that. Besides the public integrated big terminal, there’s also the lowcost carrier terminal and a cargo terminal. Our arrival was at the public terminal which host international and domestic flights like Air Japan and Nippon Airways. The baggage claim area was easy to find and well decorated giving it a full island vibes. And as we stepped out of the domestic arrival area, there was a fish tank which got Nicola excited. Nicola, how big is that fishy? There is four floors and a monoral connecting to Naha City. You’ll get to see the four floors in more details later in the video. Arrivals hall information. Nicola pushing the bag after seeing the biggest fish ever. Little Nikki is unimpressed with the typhoon passing Okinawa causing bad weather. The arrival area is very simple to navigate and there’s two exits, A and B. So, when you’re meeting your rental car driver exiting, make sure to tell them which one it is. Our driver picked us up and then we hit the road to get to our rental car. The Yokinawa island exploration is a separate video, but here we are back in Departure. Nicholas, don’t eat the passport. I’m going to a dog. It’s a dog. It’s a dog. Why is it dog? There’s automated machines to check in, but I had a bit of situation as my name was spelled wrong on my ticket. Japan Airlines removed the extra surname on my ticket and we went in to discover the beautiful airport. The duty-free is very well equipped right up there with Tokyo’s Hanita and Narita airport at Okinawa airport right now. Uh flights in about 45 minutes. Uh we don’t have to go in there till uh 30 minutes before. This airport is actually huge compared to Kobe airport. This is large. Lots of duty-free options. And check that out. like three floors of shops, restaurants, and everything else. So, this place is awesome. The airport, unfortunately, didn’t get to see much of Naha, but the rest of Okinawa is covered. Anyway, going to go grab some food and check back in a few moments. Naha airport has quite a lot of international and domestic flights operating daily, but it is really large and it doesn’t look very busy. As you can see from the images over here, I made my way to the fourth floor observation deck to check out some of the planes on the runway because these Pokemon inspired planes look really, really cool. They also have the Japanese Airlines with a whale shark in blue and there’s another one with a pink whale shark. So yeah, the view from the observation deck was really cool and really fun for the kids, which was a unexpected bonus for this airport. So, the chances of missing your flight because you’re in the observation deck, checking out planes, landing and taking off is a high possibility at this airport. [Music] Besides the observation dick, there also is a nice food area which has a diverse and extensive collection. One of the best I’ve seen at the airport. It is so good. It makes you feel hungry when you’re not even hungry, which seems to be a theme while traveling in Japan. All right, boarding our flight from Okinawa to Katsu. Got my guava drinks, habibiscus flour. This airport is very modern, large, lots of stores outside of the security area and also inside is quite well equipped. Even a Japanese airline help desk within each section. So yeah, all done. See you in Kamasu airport. Seonaro, rainy Okinawa and Konijia to sunny Katsu. [Music] Thanks for watching and also don’t forget to check out the Okinawa and Kumatsu videos on my channel. Till the next video, take care of

🛫 So, you’re flying into Okinawa, land of endless beaches and tranquil vibes, but what actually greets you is Japan’s 6th busiest airport.

This seemingly modest island hub processes an insane number of humans in metal tubes—a beautiful, hyper-efficient paradox.

My arrival felt like trying to meditate during a rave: the warm, laid-back promise of the island hits you right away, but you’re immediately plunged into the high-octane, organized chaos of a major Japanese transport vortex.

It’s a rush of anticipation, a blur of customs and baggage, and a sudden, sharp contrast between the serene tropical destination and the buzzing, modern gateway that serves it. It’s a fantastic, slightly jarring welcome to an island that is both peaceful and surprisingly vibrant.

🛫The bittersweet journey out of Naha is different; it’s the systematic ballet of escape. The departure side transitions from frantic influx to graceful exodus.

You watch people clinging to their final moments of beach glow while frantically buying last-minute souvenirs, all flowing through the process of systematic boarding.

Naha Airport functions not just as a terminal, but as a silent clock marking the end of the holiday, efficiently folding you back into the great human machine you came from.

Ultimately, the airport is the perfect metaphor for the trip itself: a highly optimized portal that swiftly and efficiently connects your small, individual consciousness to the massive, mesmerizing world of Okinawa, and then just as quickly, whisks you away.

🚀 Don’t forget to check out our adventures in Okinawa (video link coming shortly)

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Shooting Location: Naha Airport, Japan
Time: July 2025

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