Universal Studios Japan (USJ) is a theme park that offers an unforgettable experience for both young and young-at-heart visitors. Located in Osaka, Japan, this world-renowned entertainment destination combines thrilling rides, captivating shows, and beloved characters from popular movies and TV series. While planning our overall trip to Japan we knew we needed to stop by Super Nintendo World, and of course Jaws the ride!!! Ok Jaws may not be everyone’s reason to go there, but it was ours! If you are looking for tips on Japan as a whole, check out our Planning Guide here. Also subscribe to our YouTube Channel for video content.
Before we dive in I will get this out of the way. Yes we spent a whole day at Universal Studios Japan, however our main focus was to see Super Nintendo World. Because back home we live so close to Universal Studios Orlando Theme parks that we were able to skip attractions that are identical. This includes the very popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWoHP). The popularity of that area worldwide is already known. Since we can visit it whenever we like it allowed us to skip the area as it is a clone of Universal Studios Hollywood in California. Part 2 of this article will solely be about our love for Super Mario World, while this article is tips and tricks as well as the rest of the park.
Osaka Japan was our home base for many areas we toured. The city screams with modernism, and also blends in it’s past. In the middle of all of this is Universal Studios Japan. Much like the “rivalry” of Osaka vs Tokyo Universal surely wanted to be as far away as possible from the Tokyo Disney Resort and set itself up as another destination for visitors and locals to visit.
A couple of train stations away from us Universal’s Citywalk awaited us. We love strolling Universal Citywalk back home and in Japan this is no different. With plenty of delicious food options and shopping destinations Universal Citywalk in Japan is a fun time out on it’s own. We visited Citywalk a couple nights before to get our Mario theme in order for our park visit and we even found a local ramen spot represented in Citywalk to try.
On the day of our park visit we decided to skip the rope drop method of arriving early. For those of you who forget, rope dropping is showing up to a theme park at opening. This originated from Disney theme parks where they actually use a rope at opening to corral guests. Yes even grown adults lose their minds at opening and not just kids, we have seen this.
Speaking of showing up after opening, don’t forget to secure your tickets in advance. We highly suggest using Klook. This company is known to be a useful tool for planning travels and now we can vouch for it as well. We used Klook to secure all of our Disney tickets, Universal, JR Rail Pass, and even our Mount Fuji tour. Once you book using Klook you will have a voucher, and that voucher has the QR code to allow you entry into the park.
As mentioned above we built our day around Super Nintendo World, and due to the popularity of the area, there are timed entrances into it. We purchased express passes that included entrance into Super Mario World, and Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge. To make things a bit confusing Universal Studios Japan sells multiple express passes and not all of them include Super Mario World, so be sure to check that before buying.
We bought the cheapest express pass with Super Mario World entrance. This included express pass entrance for, Doraemon XR Ride (A seasonal VR Roller Coaster), Spider-Man (Clone of Universal Studios Orlando’s ride, and now closed in Japan), entrance to WWoHP with access to Forbidden Journey (Clone of all Forbidden Journey rides worldwide), and of course Entrance to Super Mario World. That is an express pass that includes four attractions.
Here is the strategy we deployed for our day and you will want to take note of the timing for Super Mario World. If you buy an express pass for Super Mario World it will come in with a time you need to enter by and it is only a twenty minute window. Here in Japan they are strict with return times, so do not miss your window they will not let you in. Not even if you whine about it and tell them you are American! Our window was set to 15:10-15:30. Yes get used to military time in Japan it will make your life easier.
Our goal was to be in the park by noon which is well after opening. Again we don’t endorse this strategy if you want to hit every ride Universal Studios Japan offers. On that note if you want to arrive before the gates open be prepared for the crowds, it is a lot. The Japanese people don’t mess around with rope drop they come out early and in force, so you should too. Our estimate is to get there 90 mins before park opening. Also build out a plan of where you are going first and keep in mind you may need to grab a Super Mario World timed entry ticket which is free first thing when you get in if you didn’t buy the express pass. We bought the express pass which guarantees entrance to the land, but with a price!
When we entered at 12:13pm they were still handing out Super Mario, and WWoHP entrance times which are free, but since we bought express pass we didn’t need to worry about them and the return time was after our express pass. We took in their main entrance which is covered for rainy days, hello Florida can you install these please?
Our first item on the agenda was to catch Universal Monsters Live: Rock and Roll Show, which is hosted by Beetlejuice! Our love for horror movies and everything Universal Monsters is well documented, so this was a must for us. Even though Beetlejuice speaks in Japanese most of the songs performed by the monsters are in English. This show was a lot of fun and not scary at all. They used to have this show a long time ago stateside, but it was refreshing to see it here and updated.
We then headed towards Doraemon XR Ride which is a seasonal themed roller coaster that uses VR goggles while riding it. This allows Universal Japan to change up this experience based on the time of year. They even have a Halloween Horror Nights version of this ride, obviously not themed to Doraemon that would probably be more scary than we all need!
After Doraemon we decided to take a tour of Minion Park which is way more themed than anything we have in the US parks. The Minion area is really small, but crammed with sensory overload with these cute little guys.
We roared through the Jurassic Park area which is made up of two attractions and a couple of restaurants much of which is available stateside as well. The coaster is a bit different, but VelociCoaster is one of the best roller coasters we have ever been on and in our backyard in Florida, so we skipped this one.
Before heading into Super Mario World we stopped by the Amity area. For those who know me you know I love the movie Jaws. There isn’t a better masterpiece in cinematic history than Jaws. From the story, to the way it was shot, and all of it was done with barely any shark screen time. Suffice to say the Jaws attraction was a must ride for us. Sadly it was torn down in Universal Studios Orlando, but fear not Jaws is terrifying guests of all ages here in Universal Studios Japan!
Jaws is loosely equivalent to the Jungle Cruise except there is a great white shark stalking you which is amazing! Even the skippers of the boats who speak only in Japanese were entertaining on this voyage! I almost got eaten twice but I was saved by my hero skipper Watanabe! Bruce will not be terrorizing me no more!
Conclusion on Universal Studios Japan
Before we tackle part 2 of this article we wanted to leave you with some final thoughts on Universal Studios Japan. Those of you traveling a great distance to Japan will wonder if this is a must do and we have some thoughts on it. Currently this is the biggest Super Mario World are in the world and includes 2 attractions unlike it’s California counterpart. If that is important to you, book a day at Universal Studios Japan, but make it a complimentary destination to something else in the Osaka area like Kyoto, Nara, or Kobe.
Unlike us take advantage of getting to the park early if you want to explore the park in great detail. Rope drops in Japan are a thing and be prepared for long lines, especially for food. We also suggest the 4 attraction express pass that includes Super Mario World which guarantees you entrance into the area. Remember to check your entrance time and don’t be late.
Weather Preparedness: Check the weather forecast and come prepared with appropriate clothing and accessories, especially during the hot and humid summer months or the colder winter season. Japan can trick you with it’s weather, be ready for all 4 seasons!
Final tip is ride Jaws! Walk through Amity island and enjoy the scenery! This area is an awesome tribute to the cinematic masterpiece! Will you be visiting Amity and Universal Studios Japan in the future? Let us know in the comments, and get ready for part 2 of this article coming soon which is everything to do about Super Mario World Japan! As always check our ultimate Japan planning guide here.