Smile Rent-a-Car Okinawa — MINI color lock and Naha Airport taxi cashback in one place
Booking a rental car in Okinawa and then only finding out which car you actually get at the counter is a small letdown many first-time visitors know well. Smile Resort Rental Car (SMILE RESORT RENTAL CAR), one of the Okinawa rental car vendors we at GO!GO!TOUR offer, is built to solve exactly that. It is an imported-car and open-top specialist whose MINI Cooper Convertible lineup is marketed as the widest color range in Okinawa Prefecture, and popular colors are sold as color-locked units you can reserve in advance. On top of that, a capped taxi-fare cashback from Naha Airport means early-morning or late-night arrivals don’t have to wait for a shuttle.
You can review the terms we handle and book on our Smile Rent-a-Car product page, and if you want to compare other vendors in the same area, our Okinawa rental car vendor list is a good side-by-side.
The vendor we offer: Smile Resort Rental Car in a nutshell
Smile Resort Rental Car is an imported-car specialist rental company. The shop sits about a 13-minute drive from Naha Airport at 463-9 Tomigusuku, Tomigusuku City, Okinawa Prefecture, open every day 09:00–19:00.
The official reservation desk operates mainly in Japanese, so English support at the counter is limited. That’s exactly the gap we cover — GO!GO!TOUR handles the reservation, questions and pre-arrival details in English on your behalf. The lineup we present is a curated subset focused on European convertibles and premium SUVs that overseas travellers actually ask for.
Signature lineup at a glance
We don’t necessarily handle every single vehicle listed on the official Japanese site — the table below is the core lineup GO!GO!TOUR offers. Live stock and exact rates always come from the booking form on our product page. Prices below are the approximate “from” figures.
| Category | Model | Highlight | From (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convertibles | MINI Cooper Convertible | Color-locked · widest color range in Okinawa | around JPY 13,000 |
| BMW 220i Cabriolet | Blue · White · Red — 3 colors | around JPY 17,000 | |
| Mercedes-Benz Cabriolet | Red · White · Silver — 3 colors | around JPY 20,000 | |
| BMW Z4 | 2-seater roadster | around JPY 17,000 | |
| Premium SUV / Sedan | Porsche Macan 95B | Premium SUV | around JPY 19,000 |
| Audi Q7 / Q3 | Full-size and compact premium SUV | from around JPY 9,000 | |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class | Premium sedan | around JPY 13,000 | |
| Other | Volkswagen The Beetle / Japanese minivans | Cute compact · larger-group option | from around JPY 8,000 |
Rates vary by season, plan and vehicle-specific conditions. Please confirm the latest on the Smile Rent-a-Car product page.
Three reasons Smile stands out
1. An imported-car specialist — the whole Okinawa drive looks different
Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Audi, MINI and Volkswagen sit at the centre of the fleet. Among rental shops near Naha Airport, Smile is one of the higher-density European open-top and premium-SUV operators we can point to. Along coastal routes such as Kouri Ohashi (古宇利大橋) and the Kaichu-doro (海中道路) causeway, the car itself changes the whole tone of your holiday photos.
2. MINI Convertible — booked with the color locked in
This is the biggest differentiator. Smile’s own copy claims the MINI Cooper Convertible lineup is the widest color range in Okinawa Prefecture, and cars like the BMW 220i Cabriolet (3 colors) and Mercedes-Benz Cabriolet (3 colors) are also sold as color-locked units you can reserve by exact color. That removes the “we’ll find out which color when we arrive” stress. If you already have an Instagram or YouTube shot list in mind, this is the vendor for you.
3. Naha Airport → shop taxi-fare cashback (within a cap)
The shop is located outside the airport, so you have two ways to reach it — a free shuttle bus or a taxi-fare cashback. The taxi option is very simple:
- Take a taxi directly from Naha Airport Taxi Bay #7 to the shop
- Show your taxi receipt at the counter on arrival
- Get your fare back as cashback within a set cap (the exact cap is shown on the booking page)
- Airport → shop takes about 13 minutes
Because you don’t need to reserve the taxi in advance, this route is especially handy for early-morning and late-night arrivals, when shuttle windows may not line up with your flight.
Free shuttle vs. taxi cashback — which fits you?
The taxi cashback isn’t automatically the better option for everyone. If you have a lot of luggage, or your flight arrives right on a shuttle slot, the free shuttle is often easier. Comparing on a few axes makes the choice quick.
| Item | Free shuttle | Taxi cashback |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Cashback up to the cap |
| Operating hours | 09:30 – 17:30 (hourly) | Anytime the taxi rank is open |
| Booking | Required by 19:00 the previous day | No advance booking |
| Travel time | About 20 min | About 13 min (direct) |
| Pickup point | Designated airport shuttle bay | Naha Airport Taxi Bay #7 |
| What you need | Booking confirmation | Taxi receipt |
| Best for | Heavy luggage, daytime arrivals | Early morning / late night, no waiting |
If your arrival time falls outside the shuttle window (09:30–17:30), or you don’t want to wait for the next shuttle, the direct taxi from Bay #7 is the answer.
Booking flow and what to bring
The booking flow through GO!GO!TOUR is straightforward.
- Check the models and terms we handle on the Smile Rent-a-Car product page
- Pick your rental dates, vehicle and transfer method (shuttle reservation or taxi cashback)
- We confirm the booking and send you the voucher
- On the day, at Naha Airport: use either (1) the pre-reserved free shuttle or (2) the direct taxi from Taxi Bay #7
- Present your licence and voucher at the shop to collect your car
The paperwork requirements are the same as any Okinawa rental.
- A valid driving licence from your home country plus an International Driving Permit (IDP, 1949 Geneva Convention), or, for holders of certain licences (e.g. Taiwan, Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco), the licence with an official Japanese translation
- Your passport
Payment is completed in advance through GO!GO!TOUR, so you don’t need to hand over a card at the shop.
Full details on CDW insurance, age restrictions and fuel policy are not published on the Smile official page, so we don’t quote those figures in this article — we confirm the latest terms with you individually at booking time.
A nice touch for families: Smile offers two child seats free of charge as an option. Other extras such as long-stay discount plans or free loans of chargers and umbrellas can vary by season and vehicle, so please check them on the booking page.
Travellers this rental suits best
In short, Smile Resort Rental Car fits travellers who want an Okinawa drive that goes a little beyond a generic Japanese compact.
- Couples and honeymooners — coastal cruising in a MINI Convertible or BMW Cabriolet
- Instagram / YouTube creators — the peace of mind of locking in the exact color in advance
- Early-morning or late-night arrivals — the taxi cashback covers you outside shuttle hours
- Premium SUV needs — Porsche Macan or Audi Q7 for family trips with more luggage
Frequently asked questions
Q. Is Smile Resort Rental Car inside Naha Airport?
A. No. The shop is about a 13-minute drive from the airport (Tomigusuku City), and you reach it either via a free shuttle or via the taxi cashback route.
Q. What if my flight arrives outside the shuttle hours?
A. Take a taxi directly from Naha Airport Taxi Bay #7 to the shop, and present the taxi receipt on arrival. You’ll get a cashback of the taxi fare up to a set cap. The exact cap is shown on the booking page. This route works especially well for early-morning or late-night arrivals.
Q. Can I lock in the color of a MINI Cooper Convertible before I fly?
A. Yes. Smile offers many color-locked units across its convertible lineup. Live stock per color is on our product page.
Q. Can I drive in Japan on my home-country licence?
A. Most visitors need an International Driving Permit (1949 Geneva Convention) together with their home licence and passport. Holders of certain non-IDP licences (Taiwan, Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco) need a Japanese-language official translation instead. Smile follows the same rule.
Q. Are there long-stay discounts?
A. Discount plans can apply depending on the season and the vehicle. Please check the current terms on our product page.
Q. Are child seats an extra charge?
A. Smile provides two child seats free of charge. Availability of other accessories may vary by season and vehicle.
Q. How long is it from Naha Airport to the shop?
A. About 13 minutes by direct taxi, and around 20 minutes via the free shuttle route.
Wrap-up — plan the color before you plan the drive
Smile Resort Rental Car stands out on three points: a European open-top lineup, MINI colors you can lock in, and a capped taxi-fare cashback from Naha Airport.
Rather than picking up whatever car happens to be free on arrival, this vendor rewards travellers who plan their photo tone in advance. And because you’re not tied to shuttle timings, early-morning or late-night arrivals get a much smoother first day on the island.
Please check the current terms and live stock on the product page below. If you want to compare with other Okinawa vendors, our full rental car vendor list is one click away.
- Book Smile Rent-a-Car / see live terms
- Okinawa rental car vendor list
- Search all Okinawa rental cars
- Recommended Okinawa drive itineraries
- Find Okinawa activities that fit you
- Stay online while driving — Japan eSIM
- Search Okinawa hotels
