Dine At The Wizard’s Table
Are you a fan of the Harry Potter universe? To mark the theatrical release of the second part of the “Fantastic Beasts” trilogy, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”, two pop-up cafes based on J. K. Rowling’s universe have opened their doors in Japan. Found in Hakata and Shinjuku respectively, the two cafes will work their magic until January 31, 2019!
Tips On Visiting The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter And Universal Studios Japan
- Like most popular theme parks, USJ gets a lot of visitors everyday. The queues for its popular rides can be unbearably long. One way to enjoy USJ with a lesser crowd is to visit it midweek i.e Tuesdays to Thursdays. Also check that it is not a public holiday.
- Book tickets online to avoid wasting an hour or so queuing to get the tickets. The tickets at the gates are not cheaper anyway. Dont be confused with the different types of tickets and passes.
- The Universal Studios Japan ticket gets you an entrance ticket to the theme park.
- In addition to the entrance ticket, you can also add on The Universal Express pass that allows you to shorten the waiting time for selected popular rides, including the one at the Harry Potter World. There are two types of such passes. One type is for 4 rides and the other type is for 7 rides.
- The third type is The Harry Potter pass. It provides you with a timed entry to the Harry Potter World. It is free and you can only get them after you enter the park. This is the first thing that you should do when entering the park because the later you get this pass, the later your timed entry will be and the longer the queue for the best ride in USJ. The kiosks where you can collect the timed entry tickets are not located at the entrance of the Harry Potter park itself. Instead, you have to go to the centre of the park, near the lake and queue up at the kiosks to get the timed entry.
Wizarding World Of Harry Potter In Universal Studios Japan
If you are a potter-head like me, who cant go to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London, then the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Japan is a great alternative. Along with this travel guide, I will also share a travel video and of course picture spam! So prepare yourselves for some major eye candy!
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Where To Get Tickets
The popular attractions have the long lines so itâs best to get your tickets in advance. You can get them either at partner hotels or on the website. Osaka, unlike in Florida, has timed tickets or express passes. Getting one of these is actually better because you can avoid really long lines.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Osaka
Address: 2 Chome-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 554-0031, Japan
Phone number: +81 570200606
Other Shops That Will Help Meet All Your Wizarding Needs
In addition to Ollivanders and Honeydukes, there are plenty of other shops that can help meet all your wizarding requirements.
Zonkos Joke Shop
Zonkos overflows with novelty items and jokes. On our first visit, it had plenty of Halloween-themed items.
Filchs Emporium of Confiscated Goods
At Filchs Emporium, youll discover Hogwarts-themed clothing and stationery themed for each of the four houses. You exit into Filchs Emporium from Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
Gladrags Wizard Wear
At Gladrags youll find fashion items and clothes, accessories and jewellery. From Gladrags, I couldnt help but buy a Gryffindor robe.
Dervish and Banges
Head to Dervish and Banges for magical supplies and wizarding equipment like Spectrespecs, Quidditch equipment, and Hogwarts uniforms. I picked up an impressively realistic Marauders Map on my first visit to Harry Potter Japan.
Owl Post and Owlery
At the Owl Post and Owlery you can send letters with a Hogsmeade postmark. The shop also sells stationery and writing implements, stamps, and owl-related toys and gifts. On my first visit, I picked up a beautiful Hedwig plush puppet which has been much loved by many of my students.
There are also quite a lot of false storefronts which you cant enter but which add to the atmosphere of Hogsmeade Village.
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Other Harry Potter World Activities Not To Miss
Trying out the Butterbeer was a must for me, its non-alcoholic, sweet and really quite good. As you come into Hogsmead there is a large barrel vendor, queue up on either side to be served. If this one is too busy theres a second barrel vendor further up as you move towards the castle. You can also order it with your meal at the Three Broomsticks.
We found a shady seat in the Owlery to enjoy our magical brew before a stop in at every shop and display window in the village.
While youre in Hogsmead make your way to Ollivanders wand shop. Here you will see young witches and wizards getting fitted for their first wand. You might even be the lucky one chosen to join the demonstration.
You can buy your own wand and cast spells at interactive spots around town or take a break for sustenance at the Hogs Head pub or the Three Broomsticks.
There is a variety of street performance on throughout the day too, this takes places in each of the different areas particularly targetted at the younger audience.
Get A Photo With Sirius Blacks Wanted Poster
The poster from back when Sirius Black was a wanted criminal. Though at the time no one knew it, Sirius Black was wrongfully imprisoned and framed for crimes he did not commit. He mysteriously escaped Azkaban and was being hunted in both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. Outside the Three Broomsticks you cant miss the lively poster of Sirius Black from his convict days.
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How To Get From Osaka Station To Universal Studios Japan Usj Train Station
People typically arrive into Osaka at either Shin-Osaka Station, Osaka Station, Namba Station, Nishikujo Station, Nipponbashi Station or Shinsaibashi Station. You can use the Hyperdia website or Google Maps to work out train schedule and route options from each of these stations. You should expect to change trains 2-3 times before getting to Universal City Station. You can use an ICOCA card to tap on and off each train.
USJ has a good graphic which shows the specific trains and travelling time required to get from the Osaka / Kyoto region to Universal City Station. All the train stations have clear signage and are easy to navigate with the help of online tools like Google Maps.
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Hightail It To The Harry Potter Rides
My top recommendation when visiting Harry Potter Osaka is to race to the rides as your first priority, particularly if you dont have Express Passes.
On our first visit to USJ, we arrived early at the park and went straight to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It was tempting to wander around Hogsmeade Village to visit the shops, take photos and watch the street entertainment and this is exactly what many people do. However, we decided to immediately join the queue for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. We had a 30-minute wait before getting on this ride and we then went straight to Flight of the Hippogriff. Even though this is a less popular ride, the wait time for this attraction was already over 60 minutes. By the time we finished Flight of the Hippogriff, we checked the wait times for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and queueing time had soared close to four hours.
If you have an Express Pass and get to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey quick enough you might be able to score two turns on this fantastic ride, the first turn without using an Express Pass and then using the timed entry ticket for the second turn.
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Tickets Arent Cheaper At The Gate So Book In Advance
If youre planning to get a ticket on the day itself, expect long queues. Park entrance prices are regulated by Universal Studios to be around ¥7,600 , which is the price stated on their website. If you see deals too good to be true, they probably are.
There are a few different ticket types you need to take note of:
The differences between each pass are a little technical, and Ill talk more about them at the end, but you can also check the differences out at the links above, as Klook does a decent job at explaining what each does.
Note: Do NOT buy tickets from unrecognised retailers. Your tickets WILL be nullified. Youre in Japan, dealing with the most high-tech people in the world. I dont even know how theyll find out you got a resale ticket, but they will. Saving $5 then getting your ticket nullified at the gate is 100% not worth it.
Universal Studios Japan Ticket
Experience all of your favourite films at the Universal Studios Japan theme park. Enjoy rides, shows and restaurants inspired by the worlds of Harry Potter, the minions, and much much more.
Experience all of your favourite films at the Universal Studios Japan theme park. Enjoy rides, shows and restaurants inspired by the worlds of Harry Potter, the minions, and much much more.
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Is Universal Studios Japan Still Open
Although Universal Studios Japan is now open, the studio operates at a reduced capacity as a way to distance itself from the public. For example, park entrance restrictions can be in effect on certain days. There are plenty of things to look forward to when you travel to Japan. Theres now a Nintendo World for the super Nintendo player.
Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Food And Beverages
There are a limited number of choices for food and drinks at Harry Potter World Japan but they all help immerse you further in the world of Harry Potter. You can eat at Three Broomsticks , drink at Hogs Head pub, or down a Butterbeer from the two barrel-shaped butterbeer stands in Hogsmeade Village.
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Buy A Usj Studio Pass And Express Passes
Dont forget to order your Universal Studios Entry Pass, VIP Early Entry Wristband and skip the queue Express Passes through Klook in advance. Express Passes regularly sell out so ensure you book early to have the best chance of success.
Entry Pass, VIP Wristband, Express Pass 4 and Express Pass 7 skip the queue passes through Klook. Use coupon code MDE8G to get a $A5 discount off your first order!
The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter
| Hogwarts Castle, which houses Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, at Universal Studios Japan |
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| July 15, 2014 |
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Tips For Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey
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We made the mistake of going to the ride too late in the day. I suggest going to this as early as possible, or later at night. We waited in line for nearly two hours, and although this is the best line in the world, it is still a long wait.
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Make sure you get the 3D glasses. I went on this ride in Hollywood Wizarding World and they didnt give us glasses. Its not as fun when you can see how all the mechanics of it work.
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The narration is all in Japanese, but this isnt a problem because you can still tell whats going on.
Theyll Lend You Rubber Bands For Loose Shoes Or Slippers
This is the most Japanese thing I noticed in USJ: they provide rubber bands for your shoes if theyre too big and might fall off. The attention to such a minor detail helps you skip the troublesome remove-your-shoes-and-look-for-it-later portion of the theme park experience, and perfectly encapsulates what the Japanese are famous for.
You can use them for slippers too, which give your humji friends no reason to bail on thrill rides.
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Get An Interactive Wand
After the wand show you exit into a huge wand shop. Which can also be reached through the Wiseacres Wizarding Equipment Store. You can pick from a vast selection of wands from the movies, or you can get an interactive one that you can use around Hogsmeade. We purchased our wands and went back onto the streets of Hogsmeade, but it was so crowded and there were lines of kids at every interactive spot on the map. We watched some kids being taught how to do the magic and picked up some good tips.
The map that comes with the wand shows you all the secret spots around Hogsmeade where you can perform magic. A plaque on the ground shows you the correct wand movement and incantation to make the magic happen, but during the day there are helpers to teach you. We decided to go back in the evening when it was quieter to try out our own interactive wands. It is good fun and really satisfying when you get it right!
How To Get From Kansai International Airport To Universal Studios Japan
There are three main ways to get from Kansai Airport to Universal Studios Japan. The main transfer options are as follows:
- Catch the train from Kansai International Airport Station to Universal City station. The trip will take about 60 minutes and you will have to catch three different trains. From our experience, this can be challenging if you are tired and have your luggage with you, particularly if you havent visited Japan before. You can pre-purchase your train ticket from Kansai Airport-Namba. It would also be a good idea to pre-purchase your Suica card or ICOCA card so you can catch intracity trains and buses around Japan. Your ICOCA card will let you use public transport in Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo and many other locations.
- Use the Airport Limousine Bus Transfer service from Kansai Airport.
- Pre-book a private airport transferfrom Kansai Osaka Airport to your hotel.
If you are arriving at Kansai International Airport, I recommend that you pre-order a Wifi Router and a mobile phone or cell phone sim card that can be picked up at the terminal after you arrive.
If you are going directly to USJ from Kansai Airport, large-sized lockers are only available outside the park for storage of your luggage.
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Universal Studios Japan: Costs And Opening Hours
A single day adult ticket costs around 7600 Yen . This ticket includes the entry to the park, including all rides. You can also purchase different fast passes that will allow you to skip parts of the queuing line and make you wait for a shorter period of time. However, they are rather expensive and also limited in number. Also two-day tickets can be purchased for 12800 Yen including tax .
Opening hours vary so it will be wise to check on the website prior to planning your visit to the Universal Studios Japan. In general, during the winter months, the park is open until 7pm during weekdays and 9pm on the weekend. It usually opens sometime between 8:30am and 9:30am.
Harry Potter And The Cursed Child Reveals Japanese Cast For The First Time
As the eighth Harry Potter story prepares to open at the TBS Akasaka ACT Theater this summer, a fresh cast has been assembled to join the Wizarding World family. And in the starring role as Harry Potter, three actors will be on hand to play the titular wizard
Tatsuya Fujiwara, Kanji Ishimaru and Osamu Mukai will all be on hand to play the leading role of Harry, with each actor taking the role in turn.
For Hermione, actors Aoi Nakabeppu and Sagiri Seina will portray her, while Masahiro Ehara and Hayata Tateyama will play Ron, respectively.
Much like Broadway, Tokyo will be presenting the reimagined version of the play, which runs across one day for three and a half hours, including intermission. You can learn more about the reimagined version of Cursed Childhere.
Cursed Childs latest home, TBS Akasaka ACT Theater, is currently undergoing renovations, and will be ready to unveil its new look in time for the first preview performance in June. The plays official opening night in Tokyo takes place 8th July.
Tickets for previews will go on sale for two days only, from Wednesday 23rd Thursday 24th February and you will be able to register and purchase through either TBS Tickets or Horipro Stage.
Were so excited to see how Harry Potter and the Cursed Child plays out in its first Asian home. Stay tuned for more details as we get them.
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