The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Osaka: A First-Timer's Guide

Japan today is more than just Mount Fuji, Shibuya, Tokyo Tower, Shinto temples, and even Tokyo Disneyland.

Welcoming over 11 million guests during opening week, and accommodating a whopping 16 million visitors in 2023, Universal Studios Japan is making travelers in Japan stay for over a week, extend their itinerary, and brave the stresses of traveling from Tokyo to Osaka. In here, you can find the legendary Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park. Here’s a first-timer’s guide to this magical wonder. 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Osaka: Overview

Situated in Osaka, where you can find the illustrious Japanese city's 16th-century castle, the vibrant Dotonbori district, and the Kuromon Market, among plenty of others, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is your ticket to the “Harry Potter” books and movies, except that it’s in your world. 

This vast theme park that’s making Disneylands and Disneyworlds across the globe cringe reproduces the world from the Harry Potter series, precisely as they are reimagined in the Warner Bros. films. Here, you can fully immerse yourself in the world you saw in the films, from Hogwarts Castle, Diagon Alley, the Gringotts Bank with the dragon resting above, and even to those places where Harry and his friends and foes ate and drank.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is part of Universal Studios Japan, which consists of many other fun theme parks and sections, such as Jurassic World, Despicable Me, Sing, Spider-Man, and so much more. Universal Studios is a chain of theme parks with branches in Florida in the United States and Singapore, though there isn’t a Wizarding World in Singapore. 

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What You Can Find Inside: The Attractions

Don’t miss these spectacular areas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Japan: 

Hogwarts Express

The Hogwarts Express is the official train bringing students to Hogwarts from Platform 9 ¾ to Hogsmeade Station toward the school grounds. The train here doesn’t work like the trains in Disneyland that will bring you from the city to the theme park, but your wizarding experience starts here as you take photos with the train.

Hogwarts Castle and the Black Lake

Of course, like how an excited wizarding student should be on their first day of school, be sure to also take pictures with the Hogwarts Castle as your background. Unlike the theme park in Florida, this park in Japan features the Black Lake.

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Ollivander’s Wand Shop

Your wizarding academic experience won’t be complete without you getting your wand from the star wandmaker in all wizarding world, Ollivander. In the series, it’s actually located in Diagon Alley. Be sure to not just try a wand, but purchase it. It’s awful to be wand-less while wandering Hogwarts.

Gringotts Bank

Be sure to also pass by the goblins-run Gringotts Bank, a building that’s a frustrated Leaning Tower of Pisa because of its irregular, uneven shape, with a dragon sitting on top. After all, you cannot push through your wizarding studies without some coins.

Flying Ford Anglia

What’s nice about Universal Studios theme parks is that they really get more detailed than Disneyland theme parks can. They’d present replicas of film elements, such as the Flying Ford Anglia here in the Wizarding World, the car that Harry and Ron Weasley used to sneak to Hogwarts when they missed the train because of a curse.

Honeydukes

Then, the fun part, when students are not studying at Hogwarts, they’re most probably shopping for treats, such as Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Peppermint Toads, and more at Honeydukes. Yes, you can try those treats from the interpretation of the theme park creators, but you won’t be tasing toads, of course. 

Butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks

Cap it all off with experiencing the favorite liquor in the wizarding world, butterbeer, in no other place than The Three Broomsticks, a place in the book that has witnessed several crucial moments. There are more attractions in store for you, so make sure to check them out!

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Tips Before You Go

For a perfect day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, remember these tips:

• Arrive really early. Your kids won’t have problems here. They might even be the first to wake you up since they go to school early, but for night owls, you might need to make a bit of an adjustment.

• The most efficient way to get to the theme park is by train. From Osaka Station, take the JR Osaka Loop Line to Nishikujo Station. Afterward, take the interchange to the JR Yumesaki Line (also called the JR Sakurajima Line), which directly takes you to Universal City Station. The park is just a short walk from there. You may also travel by bus or taxi. Or, if you have a car.

• Unless you don’t want to try the rides, go for the rides the minute you get to the Wizarding World. This is to avoid the crowds. Remember, there are other parts of the huge Universal Studios Japan.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of tickets do you need?

There’s the 1-Day Studio Pass, a compulsory ticket you need for the theme park. Then, the Universal Studios Express Pass for quick access to the attractions, though this costs more. You may also need to get the Timed Entry Tickets to manage your time around. But this is for free.

Where to buy tickets?

While you can buy tickets on-site, it is advisable to purchase them online to avoid the long lines.

Is Wi-Fi available?

Yes, free Wi-Fi is available in coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, and other areas. But why wouldn’t you invest in a Japan SIM card?

How is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Osaka different from that in Orlando?

Osaka’s version includes exclusive attractions like Black Lake and Hogwarts performances, unlike Orlando’s expanded lands.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Japan is waiting for you and your family. Have a safe trip!

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