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Universal Studios Japan (USJ) has become a must-do for us when we visit Osaka.
We love to wander through the magical Wizarding World of Harry Potter, collect coins in Super Nintendo World, brave the scariest rollercoaster, and enjoy many more fun attractions.
Universal Studios Japan is well worth a day if you are in Osaka. It’s easily accessible from the city, and the large park has plenty to keep you busy all day.
In this post, I share the best Universal Studios Japan rides for adults and older kids, as well as tips on avoiding queues, how to get there, the best place to buy tickets, and much more to make the most of your day.
Contents
- Time-Saving Universal Japan Tips
- Top Universal Studios Japan Rides and Attractions
- Universal Studios Osaka Tickets
- Skip the Lines with an Express Pass
- Average USJ Queue Times
- Universal Studios Japan Opening Hours
- How to Get to Universal Studios Osaka
- Hotels Near Universal Studios Japan
- Food At Universal Studios Japan
- Shopping
- Is Universal Studios Japan Worth it?
- More Japan Posts
Time-Saving Universal Japan Tips
Universal Studios Japan is one of the busiest theme parks in the world with queues that are often 1-3 hours long. It’s essential to plan in advance.
To maximise the number of USJ rides you can experience in a day, here are our top tips:
- Book your tickets in advance here with official partner Klook. You can then show the e-ticket on your phone to get in. The park does regularly sell out.
- Pay extra for an Express Pass to skip the lines. I would not visit USJ without one (we saved 9 hours of queueing with ours!). See my Universal Studios Japan Express Pass guide for details.
- Visit on a weekday (and check it’s not a Japan national holiday).
- Download the Universal Studios Japan app to check wait times on the day and get access to the Area Timed Entry ticket needed for Super Nintendo World.
- Arrive at least 60 minutes before park opening (unless you have an Express Pass 7). They often open the gates up to an hour before official opening.
- Use the single-rider line if you don’t have an Express Pass. This is more useful for some rides than others (as discussed below).
- Stay until park closing – The last hour is the quietest time to explore Harry Potter World. Note that reentry to the park is not usually allowed, so unfortunately you can’t take a break and return later.
Top Universal Studios Japan Rides and Attractions
1) Exploring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is my favourite area at Universal Studios Japan.
To get there you walk down a long pathway lined with pine trees (past the car that Ron crashed!), so it feels separate from the rest of the park, like you are entering another world.
Even if you don’t go on one of the two rides here, it’s a joy to wander the snowy cobbled streets of a perfectly recreated Hogsmeade village.
You can shop for wands at Ollivanders, jokes at Zonko’s and sweets at Honeydukes and have a pint of butterbeer in the Hog’s Head or Three Broomsticks. The warm butterbeer on a cold day was delicious (if very sweet).
You can also take a photo next to the Hogwarts Express, see owls waiting to deliver mail in the owlery, and send letters with a Hogsmeade postmark in The Owl Post.
Most spectacular of all is Hogwarts Castle perched on rocks overlooking the village.
Harry Potter World does get very busy, but you no longer need a timed entry ticket, so you may want to visit a few times during the day.
The area is particularly lovely at sunset and after dark.
2) Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Type of Ride: Thrill Ride, 3D Motion Simulator
- Minimum Height: 122cm (48 inches)
- Locker Required: Yes for bags (free, available in queue)
- Single Rider Available: Yes
- Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is the main attraction in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and one of the best rides at Universal Japan.
It takes place inside Hogwarts Castle, and I enjoy the walk through the castle seeing Dumbledore’s office, classrooms, and talking paintings (in Japanese!) as much as the ride itself.
It’s a 3D ride but glasses aren’t needed as you are immersed in the world of Hogwarts, taking part in a Quidditch game, feeling the heat of a dragon’s fire on your face, and even getting spit at by giant spiders.
It’s an exhilarating experience with fantastic effects. It did trigger my motion sickness, but it was worth the nausea and I recovered quickly.
If this is an issue for you, consider taking motion sickness medication like dramamine, as I did at Universal Studios Florida (which has many of the same rides as USJ).
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a popular USJ ride, so it’s best ridden with an Express Pass. We did this on our last visit and still got to walk through Hogwarts but without the long waits.
Alternatively, ride it first thing (if you have secured Timed Entry for Super Nintendo World), or wait until the end of the day.
The other ride in Harry Potter World is Flight of the Hippogriff, a gentle outdoor rollercoaster for kids.
Simon found it fun, but it’s very short and not worth the usual long waits (we only ride it when it’s included in our Express Pass). Very tall people may also struggle to fit in the cars.
3) Wand Magic
The other thing we love doing in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is Wand Magic where we cast our own spells!
This might not be for everyone as you first have to buy a magical wand from one of the stores, but for big Harry Potter fans, it’s worth it, and you end up with a beautifully created souvenir.
There are multiple points around the village where you can perform spells—you get a map with your wand and can also look for the bronze medallions on the floor that show the spell.
We used the Incendio spell to light a chimney (after many failed attempts!) and another to make it snow down a back alley. It’s a lot of fun and really added to the experience.
Of course, the most authentic place to purchase your wand is Ollivanders, but there’s usually a 10–15 minute wait to get in.
You can also buy the magic wands at other stores in the area. Or we had no wait from the wand cart on the main street. Make sure you get the special magic wand and not the regular wands which you can’t use for spells.
An interactive wand costs around 6400 yen ($40). To go the whole hog, you could also buy a Hogwarts gown, which was 16,000 yen ($101) on our visit.
We bought our gowns from the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Tokyo, which gave us double the photo opportunities and was a bit cheaper at 13,000 yen.
There are often long lines to cast the spells, so I recommend returning to the area in the last hour of park opening, when it’s much quieter.
4) The Flying Dinosaur
- Type of Ride: Thrill Ride, Rollercoaster with Inversions
- Minimum Height: 132cm (52 inches)
- Locker Required: Yes for bags and phones (free, available in queue)
- Single Rider Available: Yes
- Location: Jurassic Park
Oh my—The Flying Dinosaur is intense! It’s the scariest rollercoaster we’ve ever been on, and it is brilliant fun!
It’s located in Jurassic Park and the idea is that an out-of-control Pteranodon seizes you from behind and pulls you high into the sky.
This means that once you’ve sat down, your seat is turned 90 degrees towards the floor so that you are facing straight down. There is nothing between your face and the ground far below!
The ride is so fast and disorientating that I don’t remember exactly what happened, but it involved multiple 360º inversions, many twists and turns, and an underground section.
This wild and unique coaster should not to be missed by thrill-seekers—it’s one of the best Universal Studios Japan attractions.
If you want to ride The Flying Dinosaur, it’s best to choose an Express Pass that includes it. Or wait until the end of the day, when wait times are shorter.
Simon always wants to ride it multiple times, so he uses the single rider line too. If the regular line is long, this might not save you much time, though.
Note that you can’t take any loose items on the ride, but you are allowed to keep your phone until the last 20 minutes of the queue when you put everything in lockers.
5) Play in Super Nintendo World
Super Nintendo World is a themed land that opened at Universal Studios Japan in 2021. Accessed via a giant warp pipe, you are transported to a Super Mario game.
It’s now the most popular area in the park and almost always requires a Timed Entry Ticket. You can get one for free on the USJ app, but it operates as a lottery.
You choose a time and you may or may not win entry (we won 1 out of 2 attempts on our last visit).
Or for guaranteed entry, I recommend you purchase an Express Pass, as we did (you’ll be given a time to enter the area and can sometimes enter up to 30 minutes earlier than stated). It’s one of the top Japan attractions, so don’t miss out!
Alongside Harry Potter World, this is the best themed area in USJ. It’s such a fun and colourful world that impresses as soon as you enter.
Our first timed entry was at night, which we were initially disappointed about (and we did miss out on eating in the cafe), but the vibrant land looks fantastic against the black night sky—you forget you are outside.
You can purchase a Super Nintendo World Power-Up Band to access various mini games in the area. Sync it with the USJ app to keep track of your score.
Queues are fairly long for these games, so allow plenty of time to experience them all (3-4 hours including rides with Express Pass).
Simon loved the experience with the band and became obsessed with collecting coins. It really adds another layer to the area.
The only downside of Nintendo World is that it gives me serious sensory overload. Take earplugs or AirPods if loud noise bothers you as there are no quiet retreats in this area.
The best ride in Super Nintendo World is Mario Kart (see below), but if queues are short, or it’s included in your Express Pass (as it was for us), you’ll also want to ride Yoshi’s Adventure.
This is a gentle, family-friendly ride where you go on a treasure hunt to collect mysterious eggs. It’s not terribly exciting, but it is cute, and the elevated partially outside track has a good view over the area.
6) Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge
- Type of Ride: Augmented Reality Dark Ride
- Minimum Height: 107cm (42 inches)
- Locker Required: No
- Single Rider Available: Yes
- Location: Super Nintendo World
The signature ride in Super Nintendo World is Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge. (Bowser is known as Koopa in Japan).
It’s a dream come true for Mario geeks like Simon as the iconic Mario Kart courses are brought to life.
The interactive, augmented reality ride is housed inside Bowser’s Castle and the queue through here is part of the fun with lots of details to explore.
This was our longest wait with an Express Pass (25 minutes with a standby estimate of 100 minutes most recently), but we didn’t mind.
Note that I’ve heard the single rider line misses the best details, so maybe keep that for a repeat ride.
At the end of the queue, you put on a Mario visor, which plugs into a special lens when you get into your kart in order to see the AR imagery.
The ride involves speeding around the race tracks, throwing shells at the villains to earn coins. It’s quite chaotic with lots of details to take in, but it’s really fun and Mario fans will love it.
This is best ridden with an Express Pass, which will also guarantee you entry to the area. Otherwise, head here first thing.
7) Mine Cart Madness
- Type of Ride: Rollercoaster
- Minimum Height: 122cm (48 inches)
- Locker Required: No
- Single Rider Available: Yes
- Location: Super Nintendo World
Donkey Kong Country is the newest area at USJ. It opened in December 2024 inside Super Nintendo World and is themed to the Donkey Kong video game series.
The main attraction is Mine Cart Madness, which is now the most popular ride at Universal Studios Japan.
This unpredictable rollercoaster launches from the Golden Temple, races through the jungle, and leaps across collapsed tracks. You even get sprayed with water at one point.
It’s a fun ride, but it’s also short and quite jolty. For us, it’s not worth the typical 140 minute wait time, especially as the queue is nowhere near as interesting as for Mario Kart.
This is definitely one to get an Express Pass for (we waited 12 minutes with ours!).
There is a single rider line, but it’s not going to save you much.
The Donkey Kong Country area is small but worth visiting. There’s a fun drumming game where you try to get Rambi the Rhino to appear. Unfortunately, it’s a three player game and everyone needs to succeed at matching patterns for it to work.
8) Hollywood Dream – The Ride
- Type of Ride: Thrill Ride, Rollercoaster
- Minimum Height: 132cm (52 inches)
- Locker Required: Bags and loose items (including phones) aren’t allowed but everyone leaves them on the platform before the ride.
- Single Rider Available: Yes
- Location: Hollywood
If you prefer your rollercoasters slightly less terrifying than The Flying Dinosaur, then Hollywood Dream is for you.
This smooth, non-inverting, high-speed coaster has some stomach dropping ramps and vertical drops.
I love that you can choose a song as your personal soundtrack. It’s a very fun ride.
Hollywood Dream is one of the most popular rides at USJ. We only ride it when it’s included in our Express Pass, but it usually isn’t these days. Single rider doesn’t save much.
9) Hollywood Dream – The Ride (Backdrop)
You can also ride the same coaster backwards on Hollywood Dream – The Ride (Backdrop). It has the same entrance and track as Hollywood Dream, but you ride in different cars that go in reverse.
As one of the busiest USJ rides, it’s best ridden with an Express Pass.
If you have to choose just one, I preferred the regular version. I found going backwards a bit disorientating but less scary than facing the front as you can’t see what’s coming.
10) Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
- Type of Ride: 3D Motion Simulator
- Minimum Height: 102cm (40 inches)
- Locker Required: No
- Single Rider Available: Yes
- Location: Minion Park
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem is located in the fun, colourful Minion Park and is an immersive 3D simulator ride without glasses using a giant dome screen.
The whole experience is about 25 minutes as there’s a long intro video (with English subtitles) that adds to the context.
The ride itself is narrative heavy, and although we couldn’t follow the Japanese, we got the general idea, and it’s still a fun experience as you bounce around a giant factory on your way to becoming a Minion.
Unfortunately, this is another ride that’s not great for those with motion sickness (I usually skip it now).
If it’s not included with your Express Pass (it’s not a priority for us), wait until the end of the day when the queues drop off at this family-friendly attraction.
Another family-friendly ride in this area is Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast. It’s a shooting game on a moving walkway where you compete to get the highest score. It’s worth doing if wait times are low (Simon only waited 10 minutes at 6.30pm) but not a must-do.
11) Jurassic Park – The Ride
- Type of Ride: Water Ride
- Minimum Height: 122cm (48 inches)
- Locker Required: No
- Single Rider Available: Yes
- Location: Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park is a mostly gentle water ride through a park filled with dinosaurs. There’s a huge and fun drop at the end where you may get wet (especially in the front row).
We bought ponchos (400 yen) just in case as we didn’t want to risk getting wet on a cold day. There are also lockers available (100 yen which gets returned to you).
In winter this was one of the easiest rides to get on, but it’s busier in the summer. Queues can drop off near the end of the day.
12) JAWS
- Type of Ride: Boat Ride
- Minimum Height: None when accompanied by an adult.
- Locker Required: No
- Single Rider Available: Yes
- Location: Amity Village
JAWS is a classic Universal attraction, and as the version at Universal Studios Florida has closed, this is the only place in the world to ride it now.
What starts as a leisurely boat tour (in Japanese) of Amity Harbour becomes more thrilling when a gigantic man-eating shark appears. It’s a scary one!
JAWS is a good attraction to use the single rider queue as Japanese families prefer to ride this together. Simon only waited two minutes when the standby queue was 40 minutes.
Wait times also drop in the evening, so this is one of the only rides on this list where an Express Pass isn’t necessary.
13) Waterworld Show
If you have time in your itinerary, perhaps in the afternoon when wait times are longest, consider watching the Waterworld show. Check the app for show times and arrive at least 15 minutes early.
This dramatic, water-based stunt show takes place in an outdoor amphitheatre and features jet ski chases, explosions, fights, and impressive jumps. If you sit in the front rows, expect to get very wet!
While the show is in Japanese, you can still enjoy the special effects.
I did find the show (as with the whole park) very loud, so appreciated my AirPods.
Universal Studios Osaka Tickets
Universal Studios Japan is a very busy park throughout the year, so we highly recommend booking your tickets in advance. They do sell out.
A one day ticket costs from 8,900 yen ($56) with higher prices at peak times. You may also want to pay extra for an Express Pass (see below).
Buy Universal Studios Japan tickets here with Klook, an authorised partner of USJ and the easiest way for English speakers to buy. International cards don’t always work on the official USJ website.
We always use Klook for our tickets and it’s really easy. We received a PDF ticket with a QR code that we saved on our phone and scanned at the ticket gates for entry.
You can also scan the ticket into the USJ app to have access to timed entry requests.
Skip the Lines with an Express Pass
Even when we visited in winter, Universal Studios Japan was the busiest theme park we’ve visited (yes, even busier than Disney).
Almost all USJ rides have very long queues from as soon as the park opens.
The only way to guarantee to get on everything is by buying an Express Pass, which costs more than the entrance ticket.
Yes, it’s expensive, but I wouldn’t visit without one.
Our 7-ride Express Pass saved us an incredible 565 minutes (over 9 hours) of waiting in lines!
The many Express Pass options are confusing, and they sell out fast when they are released around two months in advance.
See my detailed guide to USJ Express Pass for everything you need to know.
The easiest way to buy an Express Pass is with Klook and my current recommendation is the Universal Express Pass 7 – Minecart & Selection.
Average USJ Queue Times
If you’re not sure whether an Express Pass is worth it or not, here were the average wait times at Universal Japan in 2025 taken from Queue Times.
- Mine Cart Madness – 140 minutes
- Mario Kart – 97 minutes
- Flight of the Hippogriff – 73 minutes
- Hollywood Dream Backdrop – 70 minutes
- Yoshi’s Adventure – 65 minutes
- Hollywood Dream – 60 minutes
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey – 59 minutes
- The Flying Dinosaur – 52 minutes
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem – 47 minutes
- Jurassic Park – 38 minutes
- JAWS – 37 minutes
Universal Studios Japan Opening Hours
Universal Studios Osaka usually opens between 8am and 9am and closes between 7pm and 10pm.
See the USJ calendar to check the hours (and ride closures) for the date you are visiting. Times are only released a few months in advance.
Unless you have Express Pass 7, you should arrive at least an hour before the official opening to get into the park as quickly as possible. They often open early.
How to Get to Universal Studios Osaka
It’s easy to get to Universal Studios Japan by train from central Osaka and shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes. Universal City Station is only a 5-minute walk from the park.
To get here, you’ll likely need to change at Nishikujo station and transfer to the JR Yumesaki Line (also known as JR Sakurajima Line).
For example, from Namba Station take the Hanshin Namba Line to Nishikujo then change there for Universal City Station.
You can use your ICOCA or SUICA card which is the easiest way to pay for transport in Osaka.
You can use Google Maps or Navitime to find the route from your nearest station.
Hotels Near Universal Studios Japan
Universal Studios Japan is easily reachable from central Osaka, but if your trip is focused on the park, it is convenient to stay in one of the nearby hotels.
On our last few trips, we’ve stayed nearby for two nights and bought a 1.5 day USJ ticket, which allows you to enter the park from 3pm on the first day and for a full day on the second.
These hotels are just a few minutes’ walk from the park:
- The Park Front Hotel at Universal Studios Japan – The closest hotel to the park gates (right in front!). It has large rooms (unusual for Japan) and lots of amenities. It only has twin beds.
- The Singulari Hotel & Skyspa – We stayed here on our last trip. It’s right next to the station and was only a 6-minute walk from our room (including the elevator) to the park. Our room was a little small, but it had a double bed (rare around here). The large public onsen bath was perfect after a long park day.
- Hotel Universal Port Vita – Colourful rooms, a short walk to the park, and fun Minion decor in the lobby. We’ve stayed here and have no real complaints, but we prefer The Singulari.
And a budget option further away:
- La’gent Hotel Osaka Bay – Rooms are small but clean, and it’s a 15-minute walk to the park.
Food At Universal Studios Japan
Bringing food and beverages into the park is prohibited with the exception of sealed water bottles up to 500ml.
Queues for food can be long at busy times, so if you are hungry, eat before you enter the park (there are lots of places outside the gate including Starbucks).
Our Favourite Sweet Treats at USJ
- Salted caramel banana popcorn from the POP-A-NANA stand in Minion Park. You can even buy a souvenir bucket.
- Cookie sandwiches from Despicable Me! The Cookie Kitchen. The chocolate orange one was especially tasty.
- Chocolate cakes at Beverly Hills Boulangerie. There are lots to choose from, but the chocolate fondant with a hot melting middle was delicious.
- Butterbeer at Three Broomsticks. It’s got to be done! The cold version is fizzier, but the warm one was better on a chilly day. We share as it’s very sweet. There are great views of the castle from the terrace out the back.
- DK Crush Sundae at Jungle Beat Shakes – We had a long wait for this banana ice cream sundae from a stand in Donkey Kong Country, but it was tasty.
Vegan and Vegetarian Food at USJ
Vegetarian and vegan options in USJ have improved in the last few years. You can now search for plant-based menus on the USJ website or app.
These are our favourite vegan meals:
- Lost World Restaurant – The vegan pho set at this large counter-service restaurant is delicious and includes a spring roll and various veg sides. Add on the vegan mango tofu pudding, which is light, refreshing and not too sweet.
- Three Broomsticks – This casual restaurant has fantastic Harry Potter theming. The vegan option is Vegetable Irish Stew with a side of wedges, salad, and steamed veg. It’s not terribly exciting but it’s good to have an option here. They even have plant-based butterbeer now (I couldn’t tell the difference).
- Saido – It’s best to make a reservation for this Japanese table service restaurant, but you could try for a walk-in. It’s a peaceful retreat from the park and we enjoyed the plant-based tempura meal, which comes with sides of rice, somen noodles, sesame tofu, and pickles.
See our vegetarian Osaka guide for the best meat-free meals in the city as there are tons of options outside the park.
Shopping
If you plan to do any shopping, bring your passport as you can then shop tax-free if you spend over 5000 yen.
There are many options for souvenirs in the park. Our favourites were in Harry Potter World, Super Nintendo World, and It’s So Fluffy which is full of cute fluffy unicorns from Despicable Me.
Is Universal Studios Japan Worth it?
Universal Studios Japan is crowded and expensive (if you purchase an Express Pass), but we still think it’s well worth visiting.
It’s a fun day out in Osaka with the magical Harry Potter World, immersive Super Nintendo World, and some seriously thrilling rollercoasters and unique 3D simulators.
It is a very popular park, so do make sure you avoid peak times, book tickets in advance, and either buy an Express Pass or prepare to queue.
If you are theme park nuts like us, you might also want to read our posts on our favourite Universal Studios Singapore rides, Universal Islands of Adventure rides, and Tokyo DisneySea rides.
More Japan Posts
Explore our many Japan articles for more tips for your visit.
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- Universal Studios Japan Express Pass Explained
- 14 Best Tokyo Disneyland Rides for Adults
- 14 Best Tokyo DisneySea Rides for Adults
- Ghibli Park Review: Ultimate Guide to Tickets and Attractions
Japan Travel
- Planning a Trip to Japan: Dos and Don’ts
- 16 Unmissable Places to Visit in Japan
- Two Weeks in Japan: A Detailed Itinerary
- 56 Best Things to Do in Japan for an Unforgettable Trip
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Amazing guide guys. We are heading tomorrow and so excited
I hope you have an amazing time!
This is um… ok but too over so yeah and I actually went to the universal studios in japan, Osaka and the Harry Potter one is actually just so so I was kind of scared. Hey! I’m only in fourth grade.
That’s great thank you