Universal Studios

Osaka, Japan

About Universal Studios In Osaka

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in Osaka is a dynamic theme park that offers a mix of Hollywood blockbusters, popular entertainment brands, and seasonal events. With attractions like Super Nintendo World and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, it’s a must-visit for fans of movies, games, and fantasy worlds. The park is known for its attention to detail, making each area a unique experience in itself.

To make the most of your visit, downloading the USJ app is highly recommended. It helps manage wait times by providing live updates on queue lengths, show times, and temporary ride closures. The app also allows you to register your park tickets and obtain digital timed-entry passes for certain attractions, helping you plan your day more effectively.

Universal Studios Japan is easily accessible by train, with the dedicated Universal City station on the JR Yumesaki Line being the closest stop. The park entrance is just a short walk from the station, making the train a convenient option for visitors. Alternatively, direct bus services from Kansai International and Itami airports are available, though they run hourly. For a unique experience, you can also consider taking a ferry from Osaka Aquarium to Universal City Port, especially as a relaxing end to your day at the park.

When planning your visit, it’s crucial to understand the difference between Studio Passes and Express Passes. Studio Passes are basic entry tickets, allowing access to the park and its attractions. On the other hand, Express Passes let you skip the lines for some of the park’s most popular rides, saving valuable time. Due to the high demand and limited availability of Express Passes, it’s wise to purchase them in advance to ensure a smoother experience.

Universal Studios
  • Day Trip
  • Theme Park
  • Tourist Attractions

Universal Studios Reviews

4.5
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S JN
Hands down the best theme park I’ve ever been to! Even though the waiting time for rides took pretty long, most of them are worth the wait. We quickly realize the single queue really speeds things up. Definitely do your research and purchase tickets before hand. Mario world really looks very surreal in videos and in person! LOVE THIS PLACE
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t_dzai Yu
BUY EXPRESS PASS! BUY EXPRESS PASS! MUST BUY EXPRESS PASS!It changed your whole experience with express pass when some rides need to queue for 120 min.If not able to buy express pass for all rides,go earlier before the park opens, so you can do 1 or 2 rides with less queue. Go for single rider line which might help little bit.Otherwise, there were different little shows or characters' greetings in different areas to enjoy. Even all shows were in Japanese (with English subtitles during the introduction only),it wouldn't bother you to understand the stories.I went during weekday around Mid April. Not peak time but still quite a lot of people in the park.Lots of choices in gift shops in different price points suitable for everybody.Staffs were super nice and friendly. Just like as in Disneyland. They were well trained to make visitors feel like being in a dream world.My top 3 rides:Happy Potter and the Forbidden JourneyMinions MayhemMario's cart adventure
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P.J
We arrived early so we didn't have to queue. We therefore entered immediately and I must say that the amusement park itself is fantastically decorated. You really feel that you are entering a fantastic universe with beautiful decorations.We started by going to Harry Potter world and even though we arrived early there was over 180 minutes long queue for the coaster. We therefore chose to go and try another ride, which was Jaws. Here we waited for 180 minutes before we finally got on. The ride was fun but only lasted 5 minutes. Which does not make sense in relation to the waiting time.We later find out that you could buy access to Super Nintendo World, which costs extra, otherwise you have to win it in the lottery?? we tried to win it in the lottery, but of course we didn't win. We also went in and saw Waterworld. It was a fantastic show and was probably the only thing worth the wait.It's only worth visiting Universal Studios Osaka if you buy access to everything + fast access to the rides so you don't have to spend over 2 hours waiting each time.
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Louis Toh
It's a theme park so it's going to be expensive and lines are not really possible to avoid.That being said the park was generally really good for a couple with no kids. We felt that 1 day was enough to visit all areas, hit the big rides and have time to wander into various shops and shows. If you have little kids you might need 2 days to hit everything.The main downside for me is that an express pass is almost mandatory on top of the ticket price in order to see most of the main attractions. The queue times can very quickly go to 90 minutes or even 2 hours per ride which will seriously limit your ability to explore. Some of the other large rides like Hollywood coaster and the Jurassic park ride were out of action. The majority of the rides are not big thrill rides.The food is on the high side as expected but not terribly extortionate. The themed diner for Demon Slayer was actually quite tasty.The park is exceptionally clean. Toilets are located in multiple areas as well as drinking water stations or paid snacks/drinks.The staff are all wonderful. From open to close they are smiling, waving and helping guests to have a good time. It's a tough job to keep that up but they did it well. Performing all day in all weather is hard!
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António Araújo
The park has some really nice rides but the lines are insane. we waited at least 1 hour per attraction and for the rollercoaster almost 3 hours.if you want to go to the Harry Potter or Mario land section you need to book in advance and it was already sold out so you don't get to see the best attractions.personally didn't like it for the wait and complicated logistics.