5 Days in Okinawa on the SFO Nonstop: A First-Timer's Itinerary

The flight times that shape your trip

Here is the schedule as it stands:

For the flight out, we looked up the March 27 and March 29, 2027 departures on United's flight search: UA833 leaves SFO at 10:35 am and lands in Naha at 3:50 pm the next day, after 13 hours 15 minutes in the air (as of October 2026, united.com flight search). The days of the week come from Aviation Wire, a Japanese aviation news site, which reported them in August 2026. We haven't checked the return flight on United yet, so its number and times are as reported, not confirmed.

You cross the International Date Line, so a Thursday departure from SFO lands on Friday, and on the way home you reach San Francisco "before" you left Naha by the clock.

With three flights each way per week, not every trip length works. Here is how the days line up:

Only Friday to Tuesday gives exactly five days, so the plan below uses those day names. If you land on another day, keep the same order. Days 1–2 need no car; rent one for Days 3–4.

Day 1 (Friday): land in Naha

You won't be out of the airport until late afternoon, so keep the first evening simple and stay in Naha, the capital, for the first two nights.

A QR one-day monorail ticket costs ¥1,000 (about $6.30) and is good for 24 hours from purchase; a two-day ticket is ¥1,800 (about $11.40). A one-day ticket bought on arrival runs out the next afternoon; the two-day ticket covers all of Day 2 (as of October 2026, official site).

Day 2 (Saturday): Shuri and old Naha

Shuri Castle (Shurijo) was the seat of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which ruled these islands before they became part of Japan. Its main hall, the Seiden, burned in October 2019 and has been rebuilt.

• The Seiden reopens on November 23, 2026, months before the first SFO flight, so by spring 2027 you can see the finished hall. Going inside the main hall needs a timed online reservation (30-minute slots, booked through the Webket site linked from the park's ticket guide). For visits from January 2027, sales open at 13:00 Japan time on the 1st of the month, two months ahead: for a trip in early April 2027, that means February 1. The rest of the paid area needs no reservation (all as of October 2026, official site).
• Getting there: the park's access page says Shureimon, the castle's famous gate, is about 15 minutes' walk from Shuri Station. Its ticket guide allows about 20 minutes to the Suimui-kan visitor center, 5 more to Shureimon and about 15 more uphill to the Hoshinmon ticket gate, so leave time before a timed slot. From Naha Airport Station the fare is ¥360 (about $2.30), according to Yui Rail's fare table, or use your day ticket.
• Admission (paid area, from November 23, 2026): ¥1,000 for adults (about $6), ¥760 for high school students and ¥370 for elementary and junior high students; children under 6 are free. The time slot for the main hall costs nothing extra. The gates and outer grounds are free (all as of October 2026, official site).

The First Makishi Public Market is Naha's public market. Naha City says the ground floor has about 75 stalls selling meat, fish and other fresh food, and the second floor has restaurants serving Okinawan dishes. For a fee, staff on the first floor will cook some of the meat and fish you buy (ask at the stall). It's open 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, though each shop sets its own hours, and closes on the fourth Sunday of most months (as of October 2026, official site). There's no parking, one more reason to leave the car for tomorrow.

Day 3 (Sunday): central Okinawa and Chatan

• Mihama American Village, Chatan. A shopping and dining area on the west coast. Its official site puts it 35–40 minutes north of Naha Airport by car on Route 58 (the village's Japanese and English pages differ). Because it faces west over the sea, it's a good place to be at sunset.
• If the Ryukyu Golden Kings are playing at home, this is your night out. Okinawa's pro basketball team plays at Okinawa Arena in Okinawa City (Koza), in central Okinawa. The B.LEAGUE season runs from October to May, with playoffs in May, so a spring trip can overlap. Game days and tickets are on the team's official site. → How to see a Kings game

Spend the night in central Okinawa or move up to a resort on the west coast, which shortens tomorrow's drive. → Okinawa's luxury beach resorts

Day 4 (Monday): the north, Churaumi and Kouri Island

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is the big aquarium inside Ocean Expo Park. The aquarium says it's about 2 hours from Naha Airport by car via the Okinawa Expressway, or about 3 hours by express bus. Parking at Ocean Expo Park is free, and if your car's navigation can't find the aquarium, it suggests searching for "Ocean Expo Park" or using Mapcode 553075797.

• Hours: 8:30 am to 6:30 pm, last entry 5:30 pm, with longer hours in some holiday and summer periods. No scheduled closing days through March 31, 2027, but it can close for typhoons.
• Tickets: ¥2,180 for adults (about $14), ¥1,440 for high school students, ¥710 for elementary and junior high students, free under 6 (all as of October 2026, official site).

Kouri Island. Okinawa Prefecture lists the Kouri Bridge at 1,960 m (about 1.2 miles), linking Yagaji Island to Kouri Island. It opened in February 2005; before that, Nakijin Village says the island relied on a ferry. Kouri is part of Nakijin, and local tradition calls it an island of the gods, where seasonal rituals are still held.

Whether you leave early on Day 5 or drive back tonight, you'll be handing the car back before your flight.

Day 5 (Tuesday): fly home

You have most of the day, so keep it close to the airport.

By the clock you land in San Francisco around 12:50 pm the same day (reported time).

When to go

The flight starts on March 27, 2027, and that spring window, late March to early May, is the best fit for this plan. Japan's weather agency puts Naha's average high at about 22°C (72°F) in March, 24°C (76°F) in April and 27°C (81°F) in May.

• Rainy season: usually from around May 10 to around June 21 in Okinawa. You can still travel, but plan for wet days.
• Typhoons: Okinawa sees about 7.7 typhoon approaches a year on average, most of them from July to September (August is the peak, at 2.2). Storms can close attractions, including the aquarium, and cancel flights for a day or two. Follow the Japan Meteorological Agency's warnings if you travel then.
• Box jellyfish: Okinawa Prefecture issues a jellyfish advisory from June 1 to September 30. Swim only at beaches with nets, and check each beach's own swimming season.
• Basketball: the Kings play from October to May.
• The flight itself: some reports say the route may be seasonal. That isn't confirmed yet.

Where to stay

Two nights in Naha (Days 1–2) and two nights in central Okinawa or on the west coast (Days 3–4) keep the driving manageable. If the resort is the point of the trip, see our guide. → Okinawa's luxury beach resorts

New to Okinawa? Start with the SFO–Naha flight guide.