When planning our most recent trip to Japan (pre-COVID19), a visit to Universal Studios Japan was one of the very first experiences included on our itinerary. We had already visited Universal Studios Osaka once before, however did not realise that Express Passes existed until a few days prior to our visit. Unfortunately the Express Passes were … Read more
If you are visiting Universal Studios Japan Harry Potter fans of all types (die-hard or casual) must visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. In fact, even if you are interested in nothing else at USJ Harry Potter is reason enough to visit Universal Studios Japan. Hogsmeade Village and Hogwarts Castle have been faithfully recreated … Read more
Studio Ghibli is a much loved Japanese anime house. Founded in 1985, there are six Ghibli movies among the 10 highest-grossing anime films made in Japan. Spirited Away (2001) in particular was massively popular having grossed US $360 million worldwide. 18 years later Spirited Away is still the highest-grossing movie at the Japan box office … Read more
We were poorly organised when we visited Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. While I had done a lot of research on most of our planned destinations for some reason I did not spend much time on USJ – and we paid the price. We did not buy our tickets in advance, we did not know … Read more
In addition to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, there is a wide range of other rides at USJ ranging from thrill rides to family and child-friendly rides. The Flying Dinosaur My son and I had visited Fuji Q just before we visited Universal Studios Japan and we experienced some of the most thrilling rollercoasters … Read more
Universal Studios Japan Wonderland is a large section of the park for families with younger children aged up to around 10 years old. Universal Wonderland has three main sub-sections: Snoopy Studios, Sesame Street Fun World, and Helly Kitty Fashion Avenue. We only had time for a quick explore as there are over 30 types of … Read more
In addition to the rides, there are plenty of theatre shows, stage shows and street entertainment to enjoy. There are also a number of opportunities for character greetings. Over time, we have watched quite a lot of theatre and stage shows including Backdraft, Terminator 2: 3D, Waterworld, Shrek’s 4D Adventure as well as a number … Read more
There are lots of restaurants at Universal Studios Japan and an overabundance of snack stands and carts so you will never go hungry. As with most theme parks, don’t expect a fancy, fine-dining experience and the food is also quite expensive. However, the food is normally tasty and will help refuel you so that you … Read more
There is a great mix of speciality shops and more general merchandise shops at Universal Studios Japan. Many of the shops are near the entrance to Universal Studios Japan. There are also merchandise stands throughout the park. Speciality Shops Some of the speciality shops are linked to particular characters such as Hello Kitty, Minions, Minion Unicorn, … Read more
USJ tickets can be bought when you arrive at Universal Studios Japan. However, unless you love queuing, our pro tip is to buy your tickets online ahead of time. You can buy your tickets through the USJ booking site but it’s quicker and easier to buy them through a reputable online travel agency. What is … Read more