Best Apps for Okinawa Living

by | Jul 9, 2024 | Moving to Okinawa, Emergency Prep, Family Fun, Hiking in Okinawa | 0 comments

We use apps for everything now. Rideshares, calendars, maps and so much more. Which is why we’ve compiled some of the best apps for Okinawa. Now you can feel prepared before you even get here.

We all know living in Okinawa can be overwhelming. Moving to a country whose language is difficult to speak, write and read adds to the challenge of living here.

What about those typhoons you’ve heard about? Did you know Okinawa has earthquakes? How much is $10 in yen? Maybe you want to be adventurous and go for a hike or find a new place to snorkel and don’t know if it’s safe. You have a long list of bucket list destinations you want to jet-set to?

Well, don’t worry about it any longer. There’s an app for just about anything you need to know about living here in Okinawa, Japan. We will cover all the basics that, without question, you should have on your phone, as well as ones that are helpful and dependent on your interests and plans while living here.

best apps for okinawa

Must Have Apps

Kadena Connect

This app connects you to all things coming out of Kadena Air Force Base. If you live on Kadena, it is especially helpful as the app includes housing notifications. You can tailor the app notifications to your liking, but it’s suggested you keep notifications on so you can make sure to get all the information you may need.

The app provides current conditions of the water and weather including current TCCOR level and notifications on changes for typhoon season, power outages, Kadena Passenger Terminal information, information for incoming and departing personnel, a link to the ICE comment website, news, directory and social media links. It’s a one stop shop of all things Kadena and surrounding areas.

Liberty MCCS Okinawa

This is very similar to the Kadena Connect app but for the Marine Corps through MCCS. You can tailor the app notifications to the base you are living and/or working on to make sure you always know about what’s going on where you live and work.

The app includes information on emergency numbers, command numbers, water safety, upcoming events, news and transportation information. The transportation section is a great resource that includes all the numbers you need for taxi/daiko services, Kadena passenger terminal information and bus lines on base.

The app also has a section for translations with helpful phrases you may need while living and traveling around Okinawa. They have the phrase in English and Japanese, kanji and English alphabet, as well as a play button to hear how to say the phrase.

This app is a great way to stay connect with the Marine Corps here on the island.

Translation Apps

Having a translation app of any sort while living here in Okinawa will probably be the most helpful app you have on your phone, even more so if you choose to travel to other countries nearby.

A lot of people talk about the Google Translate app. This is a basic translation app and the most commonly used. You can have it auto detect a language or choose one yourself. There is also a conversation option where someone can speak into the microphone and it will translate what they said to the language of choice. If you have the Google app, you can also translate through that app instead of having multiple apps on your phone. The translation portion of the Google app works just like the separate Google Translate app.

Papago is another translation app popular with people on Okinawa. It is a smart AI translation app but basically does the same as Google. Both have real time translation capabilities as long as you have connection to wifi or cell towers.

There are so many translation apps available so it’s personal preference to which one you end up using, just make sure you have one on your phone for when you find yourself wondering what you’re ordering off an all Japanese menu.

iPhone:

Android:

Waze

Google Maps is great and if you prefer that you can still use it. But it doesn’t work for anything on Kadena Air Force Base. The iPhone maps app also does not work on Kadena.

So your best bet, if you live or work on Kadena, is downloading the Waze app. It’ll be especially helpful in the beginning when you don’t know where anything is. You can plan trips, set it to notify you when speeding, see any problems ahead of you as well as basic navigation.

Waze is great for navigating around Kadena, but Google maps or the iPhone Maps app will also work most other places on the island. Just make sure to have some sort of map and navigation app on your phone.

Most places out in town will only have signs for the major roads with numbers. Most of the smaller roads you will find don’t have signs on the corners like we have in the states. So navigating to new places can be difficult and when turning down what seems like an alley way or someone’s driveway you can make sure you are going the right way having navigation.

Texting App

Depending on the cell phone service you decide on for your time here on the island, getting a texting app is a good idea. Most Japanese phone plans do not include unlimited texting like back in the states. So instead of getting hit with unexpected charges at the end of every month, download a texting app to communicate with.

Some apps that are popular are Signal and What’s App. Both include ways to text and audio/video call regardless of whether you are an iPhone or Android user. They utilize your cell phone data and Wi-fi when cell reception isn’t available.

Line is also a great choice as it has a translation feature built right into the app. Line also has an option to use LinePay, similar to Venmo where you can send and receive payments.

Many also use social media messengers like Instagram and Facebook. Facebook Messenger can be used without needing to use the social media aspect of the Facebook brand and also includes audio and video call features.

iPhone:

Android:

Nerv Disaster Prevention

This is an app designed to warn you about impending disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis and typhoons. You can set your notifications to receive realtime information of earthquakes and tsunamis and also opt to receive the early warning notifications for earthquakes. Whenever any of these happen you’ll get a notification on your phone warning you.

It includes the local weather and any warnings or advisories issued to your area. You can see local and national information. This will be helpful during typhoon season to receive the national information regarding the weather.

Windy

This is a great weather app that you find yourself using a lot during typhoon season. While it is true to its name and shows you the wind speed it is also helpful in showing precipitation and tide information as well. You can see the direction of the tides, currents and swells as well as see the direction of the wind. This is all especially helpful when planning ahead during typhoon season.

It has an extended timeline that is user friendly by just swiping your screen to see the days ahead. You can see where a typhoon might start and see if it is headed toward Okinawa. Many people only use this app to see the trajectory of the typhoon and you might find yourself not using it for anything else but it’s the best way to see any typhoons threatening our island paradise.

Best Apps for Okinawa Travel

Go Taxi

You are going to need a taxi at some point so having this app will save you from having to Google search a taxi number. Go Taxis are all over Japan and the app works in Okinawa as well as on mainland.

best apps for okinawa

You can order a taxi for the time you need or right away. You can choose the size of the vehicle, whether you need accommodations for kids or a lot of luggage. You can also upload your payment information and actually pay for your taxi trip prior, to avoid carrying cash or the possibility of a broken card machine. Japan operates mainly on a cash currency rather than card so the card readers are not always reliable.

XE

This is a currency conversation app. While some of the apps above list the current yen rate and conversion to USD, if you plan to do a lot of traveling this app will be helpful to know how much money to bring wherever you go.

It includes almost every country and its currency with the ability to check conversion rates to any other currency. There is also a way to send money to a partner location to pick as well as the ability to send money internationally.

Hopper

Hopper is a great app to keep an eye on the cost of flights and hotels. They use an algorithm that predicts rates based on past rates and current rates to give you an idea of when the best future rates will be available.

You can create trip itineraries and set notifications for those trips to keep an eye on rates for those destinations. Hopper will tell you the best time to book your chosen flight itinerary, destination or hotel choice.

You can book through Hopper or head directly to the airline or hotel website to book.

Klook

If you like to visit different attractions or enjoy new experiences, Klook should be on your radar. Type in your destination and the app will show you things to do there as well as provide a way to purchase tickets ahead of time. Tickets are usually discounted or are part of a collection of experiences in a certain city.

This is a great planning tool for your next vacation to explore all your options for things to do at your desired destination. Even if you choose to not book a ticket through Klook it will give you ideas for your itinerary for your next trip.

Airbnb or VRBO

Both of these apps are helpful when traveling to a new destination. A lot of hotels in Japan and Asia can only accommodate 2-4 people in one room. Bigger families may end up having to pay for two hotel rooms.

Instead of paying for two hotel rooms, consider checking into an Airbnb. Sometimes you can find a whole house in the more suburban/rural areas or apartments in the urban areas. This may be a cheaper option for bigger families needing multiple hotel rooms. It also allows you to have a kitchen or kitchenette and your own private bathroom, which is nice as some hotels have public bathrooms and showers.

Just be prepared with your passport information when booking an Airbnb or VRBO. Hosts will require you to send a photo of your passport, which you are able to black out the sensitive personal information, for everyone in your group to include kids. This is just a part of the verification process for rentals in Japan and in accordance with Japanese law for rental agreements.

iPhone:

Android:

Apps for the Adventurous

best apps for okinawa

All Trails

This is a map app that shows you trails in a particular destination. It shows you the length of the trail, the difficulty and shows reviews and photos from people using the app who have hiked the trail. It’s a great way to decide on your next family hike because you can gauge the difficulty versus your kids skills and read past reviews and see what people say about it. If you create an account you can also track your own hike and leave reviews and photos for future hikers.

Tides App

This is an app that is personal preference. There are many websites and apps that tell you the tides and sea info so it’s more about finding one you are comfortable using. Knowing the high and low tides, currents, swells and other sea information will keep you safe when venturing out for a day of fun.

Some beaches shouldn’t be visited during certain tide heights as it can be dangerous. A high tide at a beach with a small sandy area could leave you with no beach to sit on while a low tide at other beaches will leave you with no water to swim in.

If you dive or snorkel, this is also helpful so you don’t get caught in the wrong kind of current or sea condition. Always remember when adventuring into the water for snorkeling or diving to never go alone. Here are a few suggestions for websites to check for tide information as well as helpful tide apps.

Websites:

Apps:

Tide Charts

Whether you are an Android or iPhone user, there’s an app for whatever you may need while living in Okinawa. Utilizing your phone while living here makes living here a bit easier. Ten years ago, military service members and their families did not have the luxury of phone apps to make living here easier. We live in a convenient, technological time and we should most certainly take advantage of it.

Looking for more? Check out these other popular articles on moving to Okinawa.

PCS Okinawa Guide

Want all this information in one spot? Grab our FREE Ultimate PCS Guide to Okinawa!

Drop your email and we will send you an ebook version of our guide, as well as send you updates on things to do here in Okinawa!

I’m a photographer by trade and creator by choice. As long as I’m creating…photographs, paintings, digital drawing, crafting…my heart is happy. I’ve had my photography business, KCillo Photography, for 13 years now and it ebbs and flows with military life. I’ve been a Marine Corps spouse and married to my amazing husband for almost 14 years. We’ve been together for 18 years and are college sweethearts. We have a son and a daughter together and our favorite things to do as a family involve hiking, snorkeling, bike riding, motocross and camping. We’ve been in Okinawa since summer of 2023 and have been enjoying all the adventures this island has to offer.

Kari Cillo

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *