Is Universal Studios Japan Worth Visiting in 2026? Our Honest Family Review

We visited Universal Studios Japan in Osaka as a family of four as part of our month-long adventure exploring Japan in March/April 2026. This was our third visit to Universal Studios Japan, and as huge theme park lovers and Nintendo fans, it was the most memorable theme park experience of our entire trip. But is Universal Studios Japan worth visiting in 2026? It is worth the cost and the planning involved in making the trip magical?

In this honest review, I’ll break down exactly what it’s like to visit USJ with kids, how much it really cost, what we loved and what surprised us, and whether we think it’s worth adding to your Japan itinerary.

Note: We spent two days in Universal Studios Japan this trip. One of these days was a press experience, the second day we paid in full ourselves. As always, all opinions are our own, and based on our honest experiences.

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Quick Verdict: Is USJ Worth It?

In my opinion Universal Studios Japan is not only worth it, it’s a must-visit attraction when you’re in Japan. But I will add a caveat that while we love it here, it’s not for everyone. Let’s break it down:

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN IS WORTH IT IF:
– You’re a first-time visitor to Japan
– You love immersive theme parks and you’re a fan of Harry Potter, Nintendo, Jurassic Park or the Minions (these are the main areas of the park)
– You’re travelling with children or teens
– You’re happy to plan ahead

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN IS NOT WORTH IT IF:
– You dislike being in very busy environments
– You have a vey tight budget for your trip
– You’re not planning to visit Osaka as part of your Japan itinerary

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Our Experience At Universal Studios Japan

We spent two days at Universal Studios Japan, back to back. We went mid-week (this is one of my top tips!) and on our first day we were guests of Universal Studios Japan and had Express Passes to visit the park, which allowed us to experience the park fully and immerse ourselves in the attractions. On the second day we had standard park tickets, to experience the park with and without Express Passes on comparative days. You can decide whether or not you’ll need an Express Pass here.

Both days were magical experiences, but for slightly different reasons. This is a theme park that’s unlike any other we’ve visited. From the minute we walked in the atmosphere felt different thanks to the music, the immersion, the team members waving at you, and there were characters everywhere. We saw a dozen within our first five minutes of being in the park (and we stopped to take photos with some of the Sesame Street characters!)

What I love about Universal Studios Japan is the distinct theming of each area, which means that you actually feel like your stepping into films, rather than just exploring a theme park. The four main stand out areas for us were:

• Super Nintendo World
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Jurrasic World
• Minion Park (a surprise hit with the kids)

I’m going to be honest here, I’m a theme park junkie. I love not just the rides but the theming, the themed foods, and the upbeat atmosphere. But even if I wasn’t, the kids reactions alone would have made visiting USJ worth the visit.

Our One Day Itinerary At Universal Studios Japan (With Time Stamps)

To show you what our first day at Universal Studios Japan actually looked like, I’ve broken down our itinerary, complete with time stamps so that every minute is accounted for!

10.00am –
Arrive at Universal Studios Japan, pass through the security gates, and stand in line to enter the park.

10.11am –
Explore the main shops that are as you enter the park. Like so many people who visit Universal Studios Japan, the boys wanted hats and other merchandise to wear while we were walking around the park. We decided to buy this right at the beginning of our trip so they could wear it the whole time.

10.23am –
Meet Sesame Street characters who are waiting to welcome guests on Hollywood Boulevard. There were loads of characters here, including Woody the Woodpecker, Hello Kitty, and the two witches from Wicked.

10.31am –
We hadn’t had breakfast, so we stopped for snacks! We enjoyed Mario and Luigio shaped pancakes filled with fresh cream and fresh fruit. These were already the best theme park snacks I’d ever eaten, and we’d only been in the park for half an hour! Great choice made here!

10.46am –
Enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We had an Express Pass to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. We rode the ride, took photos of the Hogwarts Express and Hogsmead, then stopped to drink sweet and creamy mugs of Butterbeer.

11.38am –
We used another Express Pass to ride Jaws The Ride. This is our youngests favourite ride in the whole park! He just loves sharks

12.16pm – Break for lunch. We went into the Amity Restaurant in Amity Village, because what do you do after the defeat the shark in Jaws? You stop to eat shark nuggets!

12.49pm – Next stop: Jurassic Park! We had Express Passes here too, so we rode Jurassic Park the ride, which is a great family ride. Then the oldest and I went on the Flying Dinosaur ride. Hands down the parks best, and most extreme roller coaster, which he dubbed the best ride he’s ever been on! Whilst we did this, Mike and our youngest met animatronic dinosaurs and explored this area of the park.

1.46pm – The moment you’ve all been waiting for. Super Nintendo World! We queued to take photos at the entrance to the area, then entered the warp pipe into the park. We had an Express Pass to ride Mario Cart: Koopa’s Challenge, and the boys had Power Up bands from our last visit, so they were keen to do all of the interactive activities. We met Toad, and then entered Donkey Kong Country to meet Donkey Kong. This was our first time in the new Donkey Kong Country area and we loved it (though we won’t ride the new ride until tomorrow…)While we were here, we ate delicious Donkey Kong themed banana ice cream sundaes (these are huge, so we shared one between two people)

4.32pm – We left Super Nintendo World and walked to Minion Park. We didn’t spend much time here last time, and we were surprised what a large (and fun!) part of the park it is! We queued to ride the Freeze Ray Sliders ride (this only had a 20 minute queue) and then used our Express Pass to ride Despicable Me: Minions Mayhem. There were also lots of Minions around in the park, so we stopped to take photos with them.

5.40pm – Dinner time! The boys fancied pizza so we went to Louie’s N.Y Pizza Parlor. We chose the set meals here where you can choose any slice of pizza served with chips (fries) and a drink.

6.39pm – We entered Universal Wonderland! This is the area of the park aimed at younger guests, and visiting later in the day (when many of the younger guests have gone home to bed for the day) is the best way to beat the lines. We rode Moppy’s Balloon Trip and Elmo’s Skateboard rides, then headed indoors to the indoor play areas. My youngest loved this, especially the Big Birds Nest climbing frame, which gave him the chance to run off some energy.

7.32pm – We left the park. The park closed at 8.00pm, but like the middle-aged mum I am, I wanted to beat the crowds on the metro, so we left a little early! We all chatted like excited kids all the way home about what a great day we’d had. And we couldn’t believe we were coming back to do it all again tomorrow!

👉 For this day we had USJ Express Passes. You can read about visiting the park without Express Passes here: Visiting Universal Studios Japan Without Express Pass: Tips & Tricks

Is Universal Studios Japan Good For Families?

I think people often say that Universal Studios Japan is best for ‘older kids’ bu tI don’t think that’s true, because it ignores the amazing attractions in place for younger kids too. I actually think USJ is one of the best theme parks for mixed age families, and even for the youngest family members, that we’ve ever visited!

The youngest family members will love Universal Wonderland, which boasts rides themed around Sesame Street, Snoopy, and Hello Kitty. There are 7 stand alone rides in this area (more than any other area of the park) making it a mini theme park in its own right. There are also character meets throughout the day (we met Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel here) AND interactive play areas both inside and outside.

But the real highlight here are the indoor and outdoor play areas. Theme parks mean a lot of standing around in lines for little ones, and that can be more stressful than many parents expect. Even my 10 year old was delighted to have the chance to run around, and we spent half an hour watching him scale the climbing frames and building his own fort in the indoor play area. He needed to let off some steam!

As for the rest of the park? It boasts attractions that are age appropriate for kids (and adults) of all ages. The Minion Park is a great example of this, and both my boys loved meeting the Minions and really feeling like they were walking into there favourite silly films when they got onto the rides.

Of course, because I have 10 year old and 13 year old boys there absolute highlight was Super Nintendo World. More so than the rides, what they really loved was putting on their Power Up Bands and winning all the games. This gamification of the park is genius, and it really did add to the feeling that you were immersing yourself in your favourite computer games. Again, this is appropriate for all ages: we saw everyone from toddlers to men in their 60s wearing Power Up Bands and trying to collect coins!

👉 Wondering if your kids will be tall enough for their favourite rides? I’ve created a USJ height chart which you can check out here: Universal Studios Japan Ride Heights Chart 2026: Everything Families Need To Know With Free Downloadable Chart

Why Visit Universal Studios Japan in 2026

Wondering whether this year is your year? There are a lot of reasons to choose to visit Universal Studios Japan in 2026, and we were excited to be in the park for some pretty significant celebrations.

Firstly, it is Universal Studio Japans 25th anniversary, and the celebrations for this momentous year began on 4th March (so we were there in time to see them). To celebrate the 25th Anniversary, USJ are hosting a “Discover U!” event. This means you can enjoy the NO LIMIT! Parade: Discover U!!! Version (the boys love this parade, because it features all their favourite Pokemon characters) and Hollywood Dream – The Ride & Backdrop have a special 25th Anniversary Version running for the year.

There’s also a special event exclusive to the 25th anniversary, where you’ll encounter everyone’s favourite iconic cars from movies called Universal Cars & Stars Collection. And of course there are 25th Anniversary “Discover U!!!” Decorations all over the park, as well as special food and merchandise. The kids LOVED this merchandise, especially the Pokemon stuff. We took so much of it home.

The boys were gifted Anniversary stickers from several of the lovely team members, and it’s a great memory for them to be able to say ‘We were there!’ at such a special occasion.

Secondly, it is the 5th anniversary of Super Nintendo World. We were there the year after it opened, and I can’t believe how fast those five years have gone! So this is another good ‘big event’ worth being in the park to celebrate. For the 5th anniversary only, you’ll find a special cake topped with a Super Star at Super Star Plaza! As well as these decorations, there’s also anniversary food and merchandise for this event too.

Final Verdict: Is Universal Studios Japan Worth Visiting in 2026?

If you’re planning a trip to Japan in 2026, Universal Studios Japan is absolutely worth visiting. Especially if you’re travelling as a family.

What makes USJ stand out isn’t just the rides (although they are genuinely world-class) but the overall experience. From the moment you walk through the gates , you feel like you’ve been immersed in a whole new world. The theming is just so incredibly well done. Our favourite areas were Super Nintendo World and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and these aren’t just themed lands, there’s full environments that really pull you into your favourite films and take you back to your childhood.

Yes it can be busy, and yes, planning ahead makes a big difference (which is why I’m glad you’re here and reading this) but even if you don’t get on every single ride, you can still have an amazing day without feeling overwhelmed.

For us, visiting USJ was one of the highlights of our trip. We visited a lot of theme arks, and it’s certainly the one we’ll remember long after. The boys were completely absorbed by it, and even as adults, we found ourselves caught up in the wonderful atmosphere or a wonderful day!

👉 Now is the perfect time to book your Universal Studios Japan tickets for 2026! Use Klook for the easiest, most seamless experience and book your tickets here
🎁 Use code THATMUMTRAVEL5KLOOK for an extra reader-exclusive discount

Related USJ Posts You May Find Useful

Still planning your perfect day at Universal Studios Japan? We’ve visited several times and love writing about this epic theme park! Check out these related posts that will make your trip planning a breeze:

👉 5 Best Universal Studios Japan Hotels (2026 Guide For Families)
👉 Tokyo Disney vs Universal Studios Japan- Which is Better for Kids?
👉 Our 10 Tried and Tested Tips For Visiting Universal Studios Japan On A Budget
👉Universal Studios Japan Vacation Planning (2026) Hotels, Tickets, Itineraries and Tips
👉Universal Studios Japan Ride Heights Chart 2026: Everything Families Need To Know With Free Downloadable Chart

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Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!