Travel logistics for TQC 2024 in Okinawa, Japan

Applying for a travel visa for Japan

Before booking your flights, please check whether you need a visa or not here.

The earliest you can apply for a visa is three months in advance of your arrival. You should receive an answer within seven days (but we still encourage you to apply not too close to your arrival date). Please check the relevant document list for the application with the Japanese embassy in your country of residence.

• If you need to fill out the “Invitation letter” form for your application, feel free to use [this document], where we pre-filled some fields for you. Please add information in Relationship with visa applicant(s) field by listing your position and relation to the topic of quantum information/computing.
• You should also additionally attach the confirmation of registration and the invitation letter which you will get in your email after completing the registration.
• For the application, you will also need to attach “Itinerary in Japan” (also called “Schedule of stay” or “Itinerary during stay in Japan” or “Travel Itinerary”), which we (partially) pre-filled for you [Itinerary in Japan].
• Finally, you may download a [brochure of the conference here] and attach it to your application.

If you need any additional documents from our side to support your application, please don’t hesitate to contact us at tqc@squids.ch.

Shuttle Bus Service

Free shuttle buses will operate between OIST and main hotels located in Onna Village  (where OIST is situated) and Ishikawa. Buses will run according to the two routes below, stopping at bus stops nearby the hotels, though not directly in front of them. Depending on the location of a hotel and a bus stop, it may be necessary to walk approximately 5 to 20 minutes. Please refer to the map above for the bus route and nearby hotel information.

North Route (yellow on the map)

1. Ishikawa Interchange
2. Onna no eki  (Nakayukui Market mae)
3. Moon Beach mae
4. Tiger Beach mae
5. Sunmarina Beach mae
6. OIST Conference Center

South Route (blue on the map)

1. Kariyushi Beach mae
2. Halekulani Okinawa mae
3. Hotel Miyuki Beach mae
4. Seragaki Beach mae
5. Nabee Beach mae
6. Seaside House mae
7. OIST Conference Center

Notes:

1. The above routes are not yet finalized and might be slightly changed.

2. There will be no free shuttle bus service available between Okinawa Naha Airport and OIST. Please refer to the information on public transport options.

Hotels

OIST is located in Onna, a resort town with a varied accommodation offering.  Some hotel recommendations are listed below with information on conference discounts (when available) and other available discounts. A small number of rooms in student accommodation will be distributed to participants in need.

Note that these are not necessarily the cheapest offers near the conference venue, just the ones that have agreements with OIST. We encourage you to widen your search if you have limited travel support from your institution. Also, considering September remains a busy tourist season in Okinawa, early booking can guarantee better availability of hotels and secure more favorable rates, so we strongly advise booking your hotel as early as possible. There are more hotels on the map than listed below.

Due to OIST’s location being a bit far from the town center, there is only one and rather small hotel within a short walking distance. To accommodate participants of TQC2024, a free shuttle bus service between nearby hotels will be provided. Please refer to the information on the free shuttle bus service for the bus route details.

THE PERIDOT Smart Hotel Tancha Ward

• Main Building – 10 min walk to OIST
• Beach Side Villa – 15 min walk to OIST
• Available discounts for everyone booking through the hotel’s website: 60 days in advance

Rizzan Sea-Park Hotel Tancha-Bay

• 35 min walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Sunmarina Beach mae)
• Available discounts for everyone booking through the hotel’s website:
  • Early Bird 100 days
  • Early Bird 60 days
  • Early Bird 30 days

Kafuu Resort Fuchaku Condo Hotel

• 55 min walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Sunmarina Beach mae)
• Available discounts for everyone booking through the hotel’s website:
  • Long Stay RO
  • Early Booker 90days advance

The Moon Beach Museum Resort

• 1h10 walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Moon Beach mae)
• Available discounts for everyone booking through the hotel’s website:
  • Early Bird 60 days
  • Early Bird 28 days

Hoshino Resort BEB5 Okinawa Seragaki

• 1h30 walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Nabee Beach mae)
• Available discounts for everyone booking through the hotel’s website:
  • 5 Consecutive Nights Discount
  • Advanced Purchase Offer – 60 days

Mr. Kinjo Manza Beach

• 1h40 walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Nabee Beach mae)
• Since no English is available on their website, if you do not know Japanese please book through Booking.com/Agoda/Hotels.com/Expedia etc.

ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort

• 1h40 walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Nabee Beach mae; that’s a 17min walk from the hotel)
• Special rates for TQC2024 participants booking with “OIST-TQC2024” promotion code:
  • 9/8-12 Standard Twin Room Single Use – 29,700 JPY per night
  • 9/13 Standard Twin Room Single Use – 40,700 JPY per night
  • 9/14 Standard Twin Room Single Use – 55,000 JPY per night
  • 9/8-12 Standard Twin Room Double Use – 30,800 JPY per night
  • 9/13 Standard Twin Room Double Use – 41,800 JPY per night
  • 9/14 Standard Twin Room Double Use – 56,100 JPY per night

Mr. Kinjo In Ishikawainter

• 1h40 walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Ishikawa Inter Change)
• Since no English is available on their website, if you do not know Japanese please book through Booking.com/Agoda/Hotels.com/Expedia etc.

Okinawa Kariyushi LCH. Resort On The Beach

• 5h walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Kariyushi Beach mae)
• Available discounts for everyone booking through the hotel’s website:
  • Early reservation 90 days in advance
  • Early reservation 45 days in advance

Okinawa Kariyushi Beach Resort Ocean SPA

• 5h walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Kariyushi Beach mae)
• Available discounts for everyone booking through the hotel’s website:
  • Early reservation 90 days in advance
  • Early reservation 55 days in advance
  • Early reservation 45 days in advance
  • Early reservation 28 days in advance

Okinawa Kariyushi Resort EXES Onna

• 5h walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Kariyushi Beach mae)
• Available discounts for everyone booking through the hotel’s website:
  • Early bird discount 60 days in advance
  • Early bird discount 30 days in advance

Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island, Okinawa

• 1h45 walk to OIST (or take the free shuttle at Seragaki Beach mae)
• 25% discount for TQC2024 participants. The discount is available for bookings between September 7 and September 15 (check-out no later than September 16).
• Book through the hotel website and use the special offer code “TQC24“
• You may also book by phone at +81 98-966-2589, and mention the offer code TQC24

Meals

Lunch will be provided in campus. Two evening events will provide food: the Industry Gala on Monday and the conference dinner on Wednesday.

Information on cafés, restaurants and shops in campus here.

Resources for participants with dietary restrictions:

• Okinawa’s Vegetarian Guide Book. Includes a map of veggie-friendly venues and a guide you can take to restaurants to indicate dietary restrictions (e.g. plant-based, gluten-free, common allergies).
• Is It Vegan Japan. Includes a good guide for shopping.
• There will be an option at registration to note any dietary restrictions, and you will be catered to.

Student support

Applications for student support are now closed (notification 25th of May). TQC organizers will be able to offer:

• Waiving of the conference fee for up to 30 students.
• Accommodation in shared rooms for up to 26 students at the OIST Seaside House.
• Additional travel support: TBA in May.

Priority will be given to students presenting a talk at the conference. The needs and means of individual institutions will be taken in consideration.

Poster printing

Okinawa Island offers limited options for printing posters, particularly of A0 size. One recommended print shop is ACCEA, situated in Naha City, which is approximately a one-hour drive from OIST. Due to the distance and limited availability, for your convenience we strongly advise printing your poster before departure and taking it with you.

ACCEA

• Directions
• Cost of A0 poster: around 5000JPY
• Printing time: no less than 2 hours, in some cases ready by the next business day.
• Opening hours: Weekdays 8:00-22:00, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 10:00-19:00
• You can also print from web (translated website / original website in Japanese). Select Naha store (那覇店), the second-to-last option, as pick-up location.