Universal Studios Japan (Osaka) - All You NEED to Know Before You Go (2024)
Universal Studios Japan
Universal Studios Japan
4
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
Universal Studios Japan offers world-class entertainment such as authentic attractions and shows, based not only on Hollywood blockbusters but also popular entertainment brands, and a variety of seasonal events entertaining its guests to the fullest. Universal Studios Japan has continued to evolve since its opening and has recently accelerated its growth with the launch of world-class entertainment experiences such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, The Flying Dinosaur and Minion Park and Despicable Me Minion Mayhem Ride. SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, a new area where you can enjoy entertainment based on world-renowned Nintendo characters and their worlds.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • KC!
    Paranaque, Philippines204 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    LInes Lines everywhere
    The place is REALLY REALLY big, i havent been to the ones in the United States but for the standards of theme parks i've been to (Disney HK, Disney tokyo, US Singapore), That being said? there's no physical maps to be found. Prices are.... well... Theme park price, but the lines... there's lines for everything including buying popcorn, and the lines can go for Hours just for even popcorn. so be warned
    Visited May 2023
    Written 5 June 2023
  • Mark H
    St. Albans, United Kingdom254 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great day out with the kids…
    Had a great day as a family of five. My only caveat is plan & book ahead as it gets busy & can “sell out”. Also the Universal ticket booking app & process is really painful to use. I don’t understand how a communications company can be so rubbish at IT. Similar to Universal Orlando except for Nintendo World. I thought my kids had slipped something in my drink 🤪. Be prepared for long waits (40-50mins) although many queues are in air conditioned space. Overall would go again.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 13 July 2023
  • Daniela K
    Zurich, Switzerland2 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Honest Wizarding World review
    I'd love to exclusively review the Wizarding World in Osaka (part of Universal), so this review is for you when you plan on visiting soon. I visited the park for a day on July 22 with my husband. What I appreciated most was the continuity of the Harry Potter theme, which didn't stop even in the bathrooms (the female bathroom haunted by Moaning Myrtle etc). All the detail made for an almost endless discovery of the various books and movie aspects. What stood out for us also was the Forbidden Journey Ride, which we went on three times. And that was even though we don't understand Japanese properly, and therefore could only assume the background talking. Well done Universal, for creating this awesome ride. The shops have been another story. Although also supplied with many loving details (especially Honeydukes) we missed quite some items which are available at Universal USA and most of all we missed vegan butterbeer. What seems to be the problem in providing vegan options is incomprehensible to me. At this time in 2021 (and with ca. 80 % of Asians being lactose intolerant in the first place). Honestly, catch on HPJ. On the other hand, we enjoyed the Asian version of the Wizarding Word and its unique twist and additions (different wands and costumes of the performers, etc.) One more thought to add to this review is our experience at Ollivander which left me with very mixed feelings. My husband assumed that the "chosen one" at Ollivander would get their wand as a gift. It is nowhere indicated otherwise, but I mean, what kind of parent would turn down their 11-year-old newly "won" unique wand? Well, maybe the ones who simply can't afford it ... I heard others call this out before as a sort of brutal marketing scheme. Now I can see where they are coming from. And I would also like to note that Universal wands are made out of plastic, hard resin in fact, and not out of wood at tall (which is what they claim in the show, which of course is part of the act). The magic show is fun to watch and surely makes the day of the lucky winner but again, it is 2021, and we have a massive problem with waste, especially plastic. So why can't you make those wands out of wood? Much more sustainable, more beautiful even, may I add wood is a renewable material. Despite those instances mentioned, I had an incredible day, and let me say it in the words of the Harry Potter author: It is our choices that define who we truly are.
    Visited July 2023
    Written 21 July 2023
  • Hudsonmccraw
    Virginia Beach, Virginia2,717 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An experience worthwhile for some, and thrilling for others.
    It was definitely a worthwhile visit to this theme park. While time didn’t permit us to experience everything there, what we did experience was enjoyable. What was thrilling was that dark ride inside Hogwart’s Castle, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. We hope to come back and experience more of what the park has to offer in a future visit.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 24 July 2023
  • bernadette316
    Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom127 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tickets not too expensive but no access to Nintendo and Harry Potter areas of the park unless you’ve pre booked slots
    A couple of good rollercoasters (in the Jurassic park and hol wood areas) but no access to the Nintendo or Harry Potter areas unless you’ve pre booked a slot or happen to get lucky with a standby ticket on the day. Very disappointing to be excluded from these major areas. That said, the minions mayhem and Spider-Man virtual rides are very good and we also enjoyed the Jurassic park and Jaws boat rides. We ate lunch at the Finegans bar and grill which I thought was reasonably priced given we were in a theme park. Long queues everywhere but that’s to be expected in a theme park. Easy to get to on public transport/trains from Osaka. We bought our tickets there because for some reason the app kept going wrong when we tried to purchase tickets through it. You can spend a full day here.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 30 August 2023
  • CanuckJames
    Nishinomiya, Japan1,539 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ya gotta go at least once
    Yes, the crowds are huge. Lineups are long. Yes, everything from the tickets, fast pass, food, and parking is expensive. But it is still worth going at least once. We were very surprised at how well-designed crowd control was. The estimated wait times are all overstated. When it said 60 minutes wait, we waited 40 minutes, when the wait time said 15 minutes, there was no wait. Everyone is happy when wait times are faster than expected. We didn't like the food. We went to Aminity restaurant at the JAWS exhibit, it was greasy and expensive but we didn't go in expecting anything outstanding. Lots of vending machines throughout the park, and comparatively, prices are double the convenience store prices outside the park. .... but the shows are worth it!!!! Spiderman, Minions, Jurassic, Mario, Snoopy, and the list goes on. Detach yourself from reality and just have a good time. Don't think about how much money this is costing you or you will be miserable.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 September 2023
  • Courts
    Christchurch, New Zealand3 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    If you're not a Harry Potter lover, I wouldn't bother!
    I am an epic Harry Potter fan so I absolutely LOVED the Harry Potter world. We didn't bother with the rides as the lines were ridiculous, but I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the shops, Hogwarts Express, castle and having butter beer. The rest of the park was honestly completely underwhelming. We walked around everywhere for the sake of completeness but the only thing we were interested in was closed for a media event. The newest part of the park required an extra ticket which cost $100 each. Maybe that is where all of the good stuff is? We weren't willing to pay to find out!
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 September 2023
  • Leanne Culina-Penza
    Sydney, Australia843 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Such fun!
    We were very impressed with this Universal Studios. We have been to nearly all the Universal parks and this one is certainly up there. The theming throughout the park is very much on point, especially Nintendo World. The sizing of the park is also fantastic - much bigger than it looks. The rides were a great balance with a fantastic rollercoaster in the Flying Dinosaur (now one of my favs). There were a few rides closed ready for a revamp or replacement, but certainly not enough for you to feel like you were missing out. Food and beverages are a tad expensive within the park, but that is generally expected and something to be aware of. Great day out for all ages!
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 September 2023
  • Lornaman
    Atherington, United Kingdom4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Breezed through the crowds as a single rider
    Loved it! We went on a Saturday and did not find the crowds too bad. Lots of people around but that's to be expected and no worse than other theme parks. We got standard tickets in advance and turned up as it was opening and there was very little queue to get in. Got our timed entry for nintendo world as soon as we got in then planned the rest of the day. Strongly advise you go for single rider queues - often we sat together anyway and some queues ended up being far shorter than advertised. Ended up doing all the major rides no problem and had time to wander round and enjoy the park. There are water fountains near some of the toilets which saved money on drinks, but I didn't find the prices any more of a rip off than theme parks usually are. If you can do single riders, and can get there when it opens, then don't worry about the crowds and just go!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 October 2023
  • Briton H
    Phuket Town, Thailand12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Family fun
    We were visiting our Japanese family from America. We had a group of 15 and had a blast. The kids absolutely love the trip and all the activity is the adults I think loved as much or more than the kids we’d highly recommending anyone to go only thing is you need to book tickets in advance or go to a 7-Eleven in Japan and buy the tickets before you arrive at the park? That’s the easiest way and if anyone is elderly or Handicapped traveling with you, they offer wheelchairs in electric scooters just inside the gates
    Visited November 2022
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 October 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles11,013 reviews
Excellent
5,102
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393
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Madeline
Tallahassee, FL2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
This was an amazing trip. The people in the park were all so very friendly and even got down on the level of our two granddaughters (7 and 8 years old) and made them feel very welcome. Also, a BIG shout out to Suzuki and his team in the Jurassic Park Restaurant was amazing. My mouth piece was accidently thrown away and he and a few of his team took the time (about 45 minutes) to go through all of the trash and find it. They would come over about every 10 minutes to advise that they were still looking for it. We are all so amazed that they took the time to do this. Thank you.
Written 14 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Christian H
Oregon Coast, OR4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
Universal Studios Japan rocks! Awesome rides, cool shows, and meeting your favorite characters—it's a blast for sure! Don't skip it if you're in Osaka!
Written 3 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FunAndPeace
6 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
We visited Universal Studios Osaka on 27/04/2024 and had one of the worst experiences of our lives. 3 things to highlight. 1) Language barrier - there is no use of English and Japanese was the only language used throughout the park. All the instructions or video-based rides were only in Japanese language which means you don't care for international travellers. 2) No signage throughout the park - it was nearly impossible to navigate through rides. 3) No paper maps and your app were one of the worst apps ever seen. The app functionality is so poor that it was totally useless to use that app.

How can you ignore that most of your clients are international tourists? Al these theme parks should have a set standard which was not the case.
Written 1 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JimZu
Singapore, Singapore461 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Friends
Miss Yamamoto was amazing!

Went on 29Apr 24, been 5-6 years since my last USJ visit . Everything look good and rides and staff was super friendly everywhere. I really love the Japanese culture ! Friendly and nice and polite ! Please use the USJ apps to book the nitendo time entry . Because if you did not book in advance , u will not be able to enter. Using the apps to book is free . U need to have your QR of the ticket of individual to book thr time entry. I suggest you to book this on same day early in morning to have more time slot for the day. All rides I went took less than 20 min except nintendo(maria).. which took me
45 min.

Something unfortunate:
My brother in law lost his phone in USJ at 11:00 . We went to report lost at the customer service . We are hopeful to find back the phone as we trusted the Japanese culture but usually when we lost a phone , we have to be mentwlly prepared .

We enjoy the rest of the days in the USJ even though slight drizzling .

At 20:00 hr, we finish our day and went to customer service hoping to get good news but we are already mentally prepared for the loss of the phone .

Ms Yamamoto served us . She ask for details of phone and say she will check . She verify the brand and modal. . Color, and color of the cover . She went into the office and surprisingly , she came out with my bro in law phone ! It was amazing !
I really am thankful for her for to verify all details of the phone .

I am very happy with the USJ service and the Japanese culture ! Getting back the phone was a minimal hope we have only .

We use the “GO” app and took cab back from USJ to Hommachi area as we are too tired … there was train station nearby and a lot of eatery just outside USJ…
Written 29 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cinthya H
Santa Cruz, Bolivia18 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Friends
It was not a good experience, the expectative was high and the reality was too low. We paid for the tickets, the express pass, and you have to wait too long, everything is crowded and endless lines everywhere you can’t take even one photo. I don’t recommend
Written 28 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Giedre T
London, UK24 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Friends
Very disapointing experience. I went to Japan Universal Studios only because of Nintendo world. But it was available only after 8pm. (I came just before 11am). Any other attractions was sold out for the day or waiting time was unbelievably long…. 3h wait in a queue for a ride? You must be insane!!! I would say very bad organisation of the venue. LA universal studios was fun and I would do it again, but Japanese is just waste of time
Written 24 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Elliott L
7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
This was an amazing experience at Universal Studios Japan! There were lots of places like the SUPER NINTENDO WORLD (SUPER MARIO BROS), THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER, JAWS, WATERPARK AND JURASSIC PARK.
Written 23 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kapil
Chuo, Japan2 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Couples
Few rides are good but wait time is too high. Also, didn’t get entry to Nintendo World. Lottery system is bad way to give access to Nintendo world.
Written 22 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Scott B
122 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
Visited universal with my wife and 2 kids and they said it was the best thing they did when visiting Japan. It was so much better than Disney Tokyo. It was busy however we had purchased the advance entry tickets for 7 attractions months in advance so we had no issues with queuing for the more popular attractions. However this did make it very expensive but worth it. I’m not sure I would visit without these tickets as we would have spent most of our time queuing. Food and drink was very reasonably priced if coming from Uk and there was loads of restaurants just outside the park too when you are travelling home. We took our own food and drink into the park and there was no issues when staff checked the bags
Written 21 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Beachykeen70
Sydney, Australia334 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Couples
We had a great day!

We have previously been to Universal Orlando and found a reasonable option to manage queues to use the Single Rider lanes.

We had read heaps of reviews and our take was that those with express passes had a great day, those without were frustrated with queue lines.

We also didn’t want or need the stress of trying to get passes into Nintendo World.

So, we paid the extra for the Express Pass (7) which basically meant we arrived at 8.30am, went on 9 rides (we went on a couple before the park was full without needing the express passes), had plenty of time for lunch, and to shop, and to even have a beer later, and to leave at 4.30pm after a great day.

When using the express pass, we never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a ride - staff seemed to really look after you.

We went on a Friday, after the first hour in the park, every ride had lines of between 60-120 minutes and the Single Rider lanes still had huge queues (50 minutes plus).

Without the stress of queuing, we enjoyed the park. Nintendo World is amazing - it’s like being in the game.

The express passes are expensive, but if you are prepared to buy them - you will have a much better day.
Written 18 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Universal Studios Japan (Osaka) - All You NEED to Know Before You Go (2024)

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