Universal Studios, the Hollywood movie production company and home to such beloved films as E.T., Back to the Future, and Terminator, is also known for building theme parks based on their popular movies. In fact, their third theme park is located right in Osaka, Japan, and is called Universal Studios Japan. Since 2001, USJ is one of the most attended attractions in Asia, a place where cinema buffs, imaginative kids, and excited parents can go to live out their favorite Hollywood movies and meet their beloved characters.

USJ is a complex in the Konohana waterfront district with 9 areas, 18 attractions, and 20 theme restaurants. The design is similar to that of the Universal Studios Florida, with some elements taken from the original Universal Studios theme park in Hollywood. There is the shark from Jaws which leaps out of Amity Pond, the Tyrannosaurus Rex of Jurassic Park which pursues rafts off a 25-foot waterfall, and Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular, a live show that features performers engaged in fights, explosions, and lots of water action. You almost feel sorry for the actress who has to perform in freezing-cold waters with just a short dress. In contrast, the live show Backdraft features stunning pyrotechnics display as it recreates key scenes from the original fireman movie.

Another popular attraction is Shrek 4-D, where people can experience Donkey as he expectorates on their faces or feel strange critters crawling all over them. This is due to the mist-sprayers and rubber tubings installed in the seats which operate in coordination with the projection on the wide screen. In the roller-coaster Hollywood Dream: The Dream, each passenger can choose their own song from 5 buttons located on their lap bars. The song of choice will begin to play once the train starts descending the 144-foot high lift hill. The train also has LED lights on its sides and front which emits randomly at night, creating an effect that resembles a shooting star. Finally, the live show Peter Pan’s Neverland is performed only once every day at the central lagoon in the park. As the skies darken after sunset, a cast of 35 re-enact the classic tale of a boy who never wants to grow up as he and his friends battle pirates, befriend fairies, and have an adventure in this award-winning production.

USJ is also the only theme park that has a Snoopy-themed area. Based on the lovable beagle from the comic strip Peanuts, this section is called Snoopy Studios and has attractions like the Snoopy Sound Stage Adventure and Snoopy Playground. Boasting his own roller-coaster called Snoopy’s Great Race, this world-famous pooch is more than a match for Japan’s own stable of cute cartoon characters.

Feeling hungry after all the fun? USJ has many restaurants like the international chain Hard Rock Cafe and locally-based MOS Burger. The prices are expensive, though, so if you’re trying to cut on expenses, you can take advantage of the re-entry policy of USJ to take a quick, more affordable meal in the restaurants outside the theme park.

To get to Universal Studios Japan from from Kansai International Airport, take a JR Kanku Rapid Express train (Haruka) or a JR Kanku express train to JR Nishi-Kujo Station. At the station, take a JR Yumesaki line train to Universal City Station. The whole trip takes around 50 to 70 minutes. Tickets can be purchased in JR ticket offices and Lawson convenience stores, among others.  Because of the high number of visitors during the weekends and holidays, tickets must be bought in advance; they cannot be purchased at the gate. During holidays when a lot of local visitors attend, it is wise to purchase the Express Pass ticket to enable you to try the most popular rides in one day: ET the Adventure; Terminator2 3-D; Jurassic Park the Ride; Hollywood Dream the Ride; Back to the Future the Ride; Jaws; and the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman. Get these Express Tickets early as they run out of stock quickly, and non-Pass holders may wait as much as four hours for just one ride during peak periods. Even the waiting time on non-peak days can be long as 90 minutes. And note that all the language spoken here is Japanese, so non-Japanese speakers may not fully appreciate the shows.

Posted in Attractions, Japan

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