A Magical Harry Potter Experience at Universal Studios Japan

Universal Studios Japan (USJ)

Universal Studios Japan is a theme park located in Osaka that opened on March 31, 2001, is one of six Universal Studios theme parks worldwide and was the second to open outside the United States. The park is owned and operated by USJ LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NBCUniversal. Wikipedia

This world-class theme park offers entertainment for all ages to enjoy, filled with thrilling rides, magical experiences, fantastic food, and a lot of cute stuff. And with that, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWoHP) is a must-see attraction inside USJ.

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER EXPERIENCE:

As a Harry Potter fanatic, I made sure not to miss Universal Studios when we visited Osaka to get that magical experience I have only known from watching Harry Potter movies.

Our USJ pass was purchased at Klook priced at P 3,543, but because I redeemed my credit points and discounts, I paid P 3,245 only for each pax. The transaction was quick, and they sent the e-ticket right away to my email account afterward. I screenshot the e-ticket and the QR code to be scanned at the entrance gate.

We proceeded directly to the gate since we already have the e-ticket I bought from Klook. The staff scanned the QR code, and our bags were checked ensuring that we did not bring anything prohibited inside the theme park. You can check the Rules and manners inside the theme park.

Inside the theme park was a staff who welcomed us with her bright smile, It was indeed a happy place inside.

The theme park is a huge place so make sure you know the location of the particular attraction you want to visit beforehand to maximize your time inside.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter download the location map here

Walking through the pathway, just before the Hogsmeade Village gate, the enchanted light blue Ford Anglia car can be seen crashing in the woods. There’s a background Harry Potter sound effect everywhere setting the mood for the theme.

HOGSMEADE VILLAGE– a place where wizards reside, there are a lot of shops frequented by students of Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Walking around the snow-capped village is truly amazing because of the detailed representation (from the spires down to the floor) of the magical world of the Harry Potter series. It is like stepping inside the Harry Potter movie scene.

HOGWARTS EXPRESS

As we enter the village gate, we encountered the iconic steam engine, Hogwarts Express where a lot of tourists gathered to have a photo of this train. Luckily, the conductor took the time to greet the visitors and of course, we took the chance to get a commemorative photo with him.

Everyone is led to the castle, and as we go nearer, excitement can be felt. As expected, the long queue lasted for about two hours before we reach the castle’s main door.

A test seat is located near the entrance gate of the castle to ensure guests’ ability to ride. All riders must be at least 48 inches (120 cm) tall. No weight limit for the ride as long as they can fit in the test seat.

There are locker rooms available inside the castle where we placed our things including cellphones to ensure that nothing will be lost during the intense ride.

HOGWARTS CASTLE is an iconic feature of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Here we explored the classrooms and corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, including Dumbledore’s office and the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. It was truly an overwhelming experience getting inside this castle.

Going to the ride itself, we entered the back castle door. It was dark and cold inside but we recognized everything including the Mirror of Erised, Hogwarts House Jewels, and talking portraits. The Harry Potter vibe inside is getting intense as we go through the dark pathway leading to the ride as we saw the Gryffindor common room, Professor Dumbledore, and also the sorting hat.

About the ride: Since I did not bring a camera or cellphone my memory captured the scene vividly. This attraction not only brought us into the movie scene but also made us experience the action and thrill as we followed Harry and Ron around Hogwarts buildings and towers to the Quidditch match. We were chased by the dragon which breathed water mist with fire, it felt real. As we moved into the Forbidden Forest, we encountered a large spider that spits water, a whomping willow tried to swipe us. While we were flying, other fearsome creatures appeared to us from the dark with blasting cold air and fog. And finally, we went back into the Hogwarts main hall where we were cheered on by everybody in the Harry Potter characters. The ride was awesome, intense, and thrilling.

Food and Restaurant

To complete the magical experience, we had our lunch at the Three Broomstick Tavern. The restaurant has a cozy and magical ambiance as well. This area is the best spot to take a photo of the Hogwarts castle where its reflection can be clearly captured.

The food here is definitely good but quite pricey. We ordered pork ribs plate ¥2,000, vegetable salad ¥ 1,300 and gilly water ¥ 350

Butterbeer experience

Drinking Butterbeer is one of the best experiences we had here. The butterbeer is the most popular beverage in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It’s a sweet non-alcoholic drink that tastes like butterball candy and caramel soda with foam on top. We bought it with a souvenir mug at ¥ 1,150 in one of the butterbeer stations in the village. Of course, we did the obligatory photo at this butterbeer keg.

Merchandise and Shops

Olivanders is a wand shop where almost every visitor goes inside to buy wands or other Harry Potter merchandise. The place is usually crowded since most visitors want to take photos inside wearing the Harry Potter costume. If you are a huge fan, buying the robe and the wand is a must (well, if you have the budget, why not). The robe cost ¥ 14,000 while the wand cost ¥ 4,900, but if your purpose is just for photo souvenirs, the staff suggested just fitting in there.

Owl Post is a place where you can buy official stamps from the WWoHP and send letters with certified Hogsmeade postmarks.

Honeydukes is a popular sweets shop in the Hogsmeade Village. The shop is filled with assorted wonderful and wild sweets. They have colored lollipops, acid pops, skeletal sweets, and chocolate wands.

Harry Potter Musical Show

The Harry Potter musical live show performance on the stage can be watched outside Hogwarts Castle. Guests can have a souvenir photo with them after the show.

Address: 2-Chrome-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana Ward, Osaka, 554-0031 Japan

Operating Hours: 9AM to 9PM.

Travel Tips:

• Purchase an E-Ticket in advance but check the weather first.
• Arrive early to avoid the long queue.
• Wear comfortable outfit
• Bring bottled water to keep you hydrated. The small bottle is enough since you can refill it with faucets scattered around.
• Check your phone’s battery before leaving. All the spots are photo-worthy, better bring your power bank with you.
• Plan ahead. Research the place beforehand so that you will never miss out on anything.

Date of travel: June 20, 2019

Season: Summer