Symposium Logistics

Event Location

The 6th International OTEC Symposium will take place at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology's (OIST) Conference Center. For more information on reaching OIST, please visit their website at:

https://www.oist.jp/access-map.

OIST's Conference Center

https://www.oist.jp/conference-venue#Conference-Center

OIST's address

1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun
Okinawa, Japan 904-0495

Onna Area Map

Click the map below for a link providing information on the Onna Village area in which many hotels are located, including access maps.

Transportation

Naha - Onna(9/25)

Transportation between Naha and the Onna Area is generally on your own. We suggest the Shuttle Service below. Due to the lack of transportation after 19:00, the executive committee will arrange for pickup at 21:30 from Naha Airport on 9/25 as well. If you would like to use this "last pickup," please reserve a spot by emailing us at info@otecsymposium.okinawa no later than 9/10/2018 15:00 Japan Time. The cost is 1500JPY. There are also public transportation (bus/taxi) and rental cars available in Okinawa.

Please be aware you will need a valid international drivers license to rent a car in Japan.

Morning Hotels - OIST

The executive committee will provide bus transportation to registered participants on the mornings of 9/26-27 at the hotels listed below between 8:00 and 8:30. Please email us by 9/10 to reserve a pickup and let us know which hotel you plan to use.

Reception (9/26)

The executive committee will provide transportation between OIST and Moon Beach Hotel for the Reception on 9/26. In addition, we will provide transportation afterwards to the hotels listed below.

OIST - Naha Airport (9/27)

We will provide transportation from OIST to Naha Airport, departing aroudn 13:00 and arriving in time for 15:45 departures for Kumejima and the Optional Tour.

Shuttle Service

The link below includes information on a 6x per day shuttle service between Naha Airport and hotels in the Onna Village Area. Cost is ￥1500-1700 depending on final stop.

http://okinawabus.com/en/ls/ls_area_c/

A map of showing the ticket counter and Bus Stop/Pickup location at Naha Airport.

Lodging

We suggest booking through an online site such as hotels.com or expedia.com to get the lowest price available.

Below are a few of the area hotels. In addition, there are many alternative and smaller hotels. Of the hotels below, Rizzan will likely have the lowest fee. If you need assistance, please contact us.

The reception on 9/26 will take place at Moon Beach Hotel.

Okinawa Access

Okinawa Prefecture's main airport is in Naha City on the Okinawa Mainland. There are numerous flights between Okinawa and Tokyo (Haneda and Narita), and other nearby international locations as well. Domestic carriers include JAL, ANA, JetStar, and others.

Kumejima (Tour) Access

The registration for separate hotel/flight travel package has ended. If you wish to attend the tour on Kumejima, please book your flight and hotel separately. We suggest booking your flight directly through JAL at http://www.jal.co.jp/en/?city=TYO. We suggest Kume Island Hotel for lodging.

As our deadline for hotel registration has passed we may not be able to make a reservation for you. If you need assistance, please get in touch and we will do our best to help.

Emergencies/Weather

Okinawa is prone to Hurricanes in this season. We will keep a careful eye on the weather and make any announcements as needed as soon as possible. If the symposium is cancelled due to weather, act of god, etc. we will do our best to refund any fees collected.

Okinawa as with Japan is also subject to occasional earthquakes. More information on things to consider when traveling in Okinawa is available at:

https://www.visitokinawa.jp/travel-tips/be-careful

Other Information

We have not implemented a dress code for this event. September in Okinawa will likely still be warm. Okinawans generally wear Kariyushi, a type of short-sleeved dress shirt similar to hawaiian wear, with dress slacks. Buisness Casual, or Casual is acceptable. The Government of Japan also encourages "Cool Biz," a relaxation from suits to encourage comfortable work and reduced energy consumption.

Japan has high-quality medical care and a national insurance system. We do, however suggest you get traveler's insurance valid in Japan.

Most business is still done with cash in Japan. While many businesses such as hotels and convenience stores now accept major credit cards, some restaurants, smaller stores, taxis, and busses may not. We suggest purchasing and keeping some yen on hand while in Japan. Travelers Checks are generally not accepted. While crime is less prevalent than in many other countries, we suggest caution as well.

While uncommon, police may request your ID at any time. Non-residents are required to keep their passport on hand.