Universal Studios Adventure in Osaka, Japan
Universal Studio is the biggest attraction in Osaka, and it's a theme park you should really not miss. Being in the world of Harry Potter is already a great reason for you to check the place out, but if that does not convince you, there are still a lot of things you should look forward to here in this amazing theme park!
On our second day in Japan, we went to the famous Universal Studios as planned, we really made sure to include this in our itinerary because finally we would be able to see the Amazing World of Harry Potter! Here in this blog post, I will share with you a little about our experience here in this theme park with some highlights on the sights to behold, the World of Harry Potter and the Children's Paradise.
To make sure that we can get the most out of our visit there, we went there before the opening which happens to be at about 8:30 AM. Even if we came there a few minutes after 8:00, there were already a lot of people lining up. We waited for about 20 minutes before we were given tickets, but the good thing is, after that, we were already allowed to go in immediately.
Snapshots of Universal Studios Japan
Seeing the theme park left me really astonished with all the amazement. I just couldn't believe that given my modest salary at work, I was able to finance my travel here in Osaka with an extra budget to pay for the ticket here.
The way the park was structured, designed and landscaped makes you really feel like you are in a different realm. Everything made me feel like I was in the borderline of reality and fantasy. It was just bewildering.
Okay, you may see from both of the pictures (above and below) the roller coaster line. Well, you should not definitely miss the chance of riding that one because it will drive your adrenaline up. It may not be the most extreme ride you'll ever ride, but it was definitely massively fun!
This part of Universal Studios features Amity (I was about to type Amityville, but I realized it's a different place). It supposedly mimics the place featured in the movie Jaws.
If you want to just feel all relaxed, you can just chill here in this area. The bay-side vibe just makes things feel like they are slowing down.
Another part of the park also gives you a country-side feel, which again made me feel all light and amazed.
This one reminds of Camp John Hay in Baguio, Philippines, and I realize that we do have a lot of beautiful places here at home as well. We often just take them for granted.
Oh, by the way, I'm running as a mayor of Amity, so you may want to consider that. I promise to make the waters safe and free from sharks. Re-elect!
I have to admit that everything here looks real. What I meant by this is, it felt as if I was not in a theme park but rather in the places portrayed/mimicked.
With the gleaming rays of the morning sun, this photo was just made all dreamy, and that was what I was feeling the entire time I was here in Universal Studios.
The World of Harry Potter
Okay, so let's now ride the Hogwarts Express to transport us to the amazing world of Harry Potter. It's one of the top reasons why both local and foreign tourists flock this theme park. Well, I guess a lot of us are really fans, and it feels great to somehow witness our imaginations come into life.
It was chilly that month, so the "snow designs" of the structures here in the Harry Potter world made a perfect sense. It made me feel like I was truly in a different world.
As you walk past the houses, you will eventually reach the front of Hogwarts! The school of magic where the famous Harry Potter grew up learning about spells, magical creatures and Quidditch!
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to check out what's inside, since there had been some "problems" during that time. I guess an ogre just barged in the Banquet Hall. Or maybe, the Chamber of Secrets was opened, and they needed to put remedy to it. Anyway, whatever the reason was, it hindered me to go inside. Well, at least I still have a reason to visit this place again soon.
Well, another good thing is despite not having the chance to see what's inside, we were able to drop by Hagrid's. He was surely quite hospitable because he even allowed us to ride Buckbeak (this is a roller coaster ride).
After the exhilarating ride, I felt parched and exhausted; hence, even if I am a muggle, it didn't stop me to try the Butterbeer.
It's very much customary to drink a Butterbeer, so cheers!
Children's Paradise
If you have kids with you (or you feel like you're one), you can drop by the New Wonderland and other parts of Universal Studios dedicated for kids.
Of course, you will see there the famous characters we grew up with such as the Sesame Street, Snoopy, Hello Kitty and more.
There are also rides here such as this flying Snoopy. It's very much child-friendly, but that shouldn't stop you from riding it as well.
If you feel a little pinkish, you may want to go for the rotating cupcakes. It's just adorable!
This one's adorable too of course. Don't you agree?
If you want to take your kiddie experience further, you may want to check out the Hello Kitty's Corner Cafe.
You can also indulge more in the Sesame Street fandom by checking this part of the park, and also trying out the Sesame Street popcorn.
Eventually, you'll get exhausted, so you need to get your energy back. There are a lot of restaurants and snack stall around the park, but most of them are really expensive, so you better prepare your budget. A full meal may cost you about ¥1,600, and that's really huge compared to restaurants outside Universal Studios.
Even if the meal I had was really expensive, I still was able to enjoy it, and the food quality was awesome. I can still even taste the amazing flavors just by looking at this photo.
I needed to really have a good documentation of my meal because my wallet really bled out just for me to have this delicious meal I had.
As I am about to end this blog post, I just want to share with you a couple of photos shot at night. It just shows how beautiful the park was when illuminated by colorful lights.
Everything was just beautiful especially this view. I just can't take my eyes off this wonderful portrait-like scenery!
So, that wraps up my blog post on Universal Studios. Check out my summarized guide below, and do drop a comment if you feel so. Happy traveling!
Universal Studios (Japan) Quick Guide
Things to see/do: Watch the 3D show which is the best I've seen so far and the Live Fire Show. Ride the roller coasters. Feel like a child in the New Wonderland.
Budget needed: About ¥7,200 (appx P3,000) for the entrance ticket and additional ¥1,600 (appx P660) for one full meal. Of course, you will be needing more budget if you'd like to try the famous Butterbeer and buy some souvenirs.
Is it wander-worthy? Definitely yes. I haven't seen anything like this before. The shows alone were worth the price, and the rides were just wow!
How to get there: You can reach Universal Studios by taking the Sakurajima Line and stopping by the Universal City Station. From there, you just need to walk about 5 minutes.
