Universal Studios Japan, Kinki, Japan

5MTAA 5:00 PM Oct 25, 2022

You won't be disappointed
My partner and I went to USJ japan for 1 day at it was the highlight of our stay in Osaka by far. We bought a 1 day pass with a a 4EXP express pass to have priority access to Harry Potter's forbiden journey and Flight of the hippogriff as well as Hollywood The ride and Spiderman 4D. The express pass is definitely a game changer to enjoy the experience. Right from the opening of the gates wait times in the popular rides reached 60-120 mintues. If it is within your budget, I would strongly recommend getting it for the rides that interest you the most. A 1-day pass was enough for us with this setup. The highlights of the parc for us were The Wizarding world of Harry Potter (huge fans) and SuperMario world. We did not purchase an express pass for access to supermario world and were able to get a timed entry ticket the day of our stay. We ended up waiting around 90 min for the koppa's challenge ride once we were there but the wait itself wasn't so bad as the queue si lined with many sources of entertainment for adults and children alike. Worth the wait. We didn't purchase any of the supermario arm bands that were for sale. The rides themselves are also very well done and there is something for ride enthusiasts and those who aren't as into near-death experiences. Food options are varied and affordable inside the parc. We spent our whole day there and had dinner at the three broomsticks in HP world. The meal itself was pretty good. The USJ app is helpful to get around the parc and check wait times. Text is entirely in Japanese and we couldn't find a way to translate it to English however.

3pitterpatter 5:00 PM Dec 13, 2022

Overcrowded and money-grabbing. Lower your expectations
We went on a Wednesday on a supposedly normal average day (studio passes were at the lowest prices) and the place was obviously overcrowded. Long queues for everything, including food and bathrooms. Express Pass is essential, but the queues for getting something as simple as a coffee from the outdoor carts were often longer than the queues to get a ride itself. There were even long queues for the bathrooms, which made the entire experience unpleasant. Another issue was the lack of seating anywhere, either indoors or outdoors. People can often be seen sitting on the sidewalks, which is very un-Japanese. This is a theme park, people need a place to rest. Overall, this feels like the place that cares more about admitting as many people as possible, and charging people for everything (the powerbands at Mario are a prime example), than providing a positive guest-oriented experience. We won't be back.