Universal Studios Japan Osaka: The Day I Spent Half a Day in Line Without an Express Pass

From Sakurajima Station in Osaka, it's just over five minutes walking through Universal CityWalk to reach the park. I should have picked up on the signs right then. Even though it…

Osaka · Universal Studios Japan

From Sakurajima Station in Osaka, it's just over five minutes walking through Universal CityWalk to reach the park. I should have picked up on the signs right then. Even though it was a weekday morning, people stretched endlessly in both directions. Universal Studios Japan sits on reclaimed land in Osaka Bay, so the wind whips right through—but that day, for winter, the sky was an impossibly brilliant blue. Half the crowd wore padded jackets while the other half dressed light, and I was in the latter group, regretting it by evening.

Under a blue sky, visitors walk through Universal Studios' arched main gate while a roller coaster loop structure appears on the left side of the plaza — The white loop visible to the left of the plaza is Hollywood Dream – The Ride. Plenty of people head straight in with their luggage in tow.

The Game Was Already Over at the Ticket Booth

At the TICKETS booth on the left side of the main gate. A banner overhead read "ANNUAL PASS NOW ON SALE / 年間パス好評発売中," and below it, the line branched into three paths. Someone wearing a Minions headband, someone holding up a QR code on their phone, someone just staring at the back of the person in front. The thought that crossed my mind as I stood there was that you'd need at least 30 minutes just to buy a ticket.

Long lines of visitors queue in front of the Universal Studios Japan TICKETS booth with a red annual pass promotion banner hanging above — Ticket booth on a weekday morning. Yellow Minions headbands spotted throughout the crowd.

The prices on the digital display read: 1-Day Studio Pass adult ¥8,600 / child ¥5,600, 1.5-Day adult ¥13,100, 2-Day adult ¥16,300. The Twilight Pass for entry after 3 PM was adult ¥6,000, child ¥3,900. Senior 1-Day was ¥7,700. Annual passes ranged from Standard ¥28,800, Prime ¥20,000, to Grand Royal ¥48,800. USJ admission prices are date-variable, so they go higher during peak seasons. The table below is exactly what I saw on the display that day, so take it as reference.

Digital display above the TICKETS booth showing admission prices: 1-Day Studio Pass Adult 8600 yen and other ticket options — Day-of pricing on the display. All prices shown include tax (税込).

Ticket Type	Adult	Child
1-Day Studio Pass	¥8,600	¥5,600
1.5-Day Studio Pass	¥13,100	¥8,600
2-Day Studio Pass	¥16,300	¥10,600
Twilight Pass	¥6,000	¥3,900

Always Buy Express Tickets in Advance—On-Site Stock Is Already Sold Out

There were really, truly so many people. This isn't an exaggeration. On the display next to the ticket booth sat a list of Universal Express options, and Express 7 (Flying Dinosaur & Jurassic Park), Express 7 (Limited & Variety), Express 4 (Minion Haachagre Ride), Express 4 (Flying Dinosaur), Express 4 (Variety Choice)—all five tiers displayed in red text as 売切れ (SOLD OUT). Not a single option remained. A Korean family standing behind me said, "Wait, you can't just buy it here?" and I was thinking the exact same thing.

Universal Express digital display showing all Express 7 and Express 4 options marked in red with SOLD OUT status — All five Express types sold out. This is what happens when you count on buying on-site.

The VIP Experience was the same story. The Super Nintendo World tour has five time slots—10:00 / 10:30 / 13:00 / 15:00 / 15:30—and all five displayed SOLD OUT. This isn't something you solve by arriving a few hours earlier. These are quantities that sold out online days before the visit.

Digital display for Universal VIP Experience Super Nintendo World tours showing all time slots from 10:00 to 15:30 marked as SOLD OUT — All five VIP Experience slots wiped out.

So to sum it up, once you commit to a date for USJ, there's one critical task you need to complete immediately.

Purchase both your admission ticket and Express Pass together from the official website or app. Express is a separate product from the ticket, and popular dates sell out weeks in advance.
Super Nintendo World operates separate entry reservations during busy periods. It's best to download the official app in advance and check after you enter the park.
If you can't secure an Express Pass, arrive at opening time, knock out one popular attraction first, then let go of any other expectations for your mental health's sake.

The display at the bottom notes that attraction operations and availability can change without notice, so be sure to check the official website again before your visit for current schedules and pricing.

Getting There

The park is in Konohana ward, Osaka, right in front of JR Yumesaki Line's Universal City Station. From Osaka Station, take the JR Osaka Loop Line to Nishi-Kujo, then transfer to the Yumesaki Line—under 20 minutes total. From the Namba area, you'll need one more transfer. Exit the station and just follow the foot traffic through Universal CityWalk's shopping corridor, and you'll reach the main gate in about five minutes on foot. To arrive before opening, you need to catch an early train. If you stay at an official hotel right by the park, you'll have a definite advantage in this race.

Pass through the gate and you're immediately greeted by the famous Universal globe. There's another line for photos here. I skipped the direct front spot and took mine at an angle from the shade of the palm trees, and I actually liked how the sky opened up more that way. The spot by the ivy wall on the right gets less crowded.

Spinning Universal globe monument against a blue sky with visitors taking photos in front, Japanese flag and Minions flags on the left — The Universal globe right after entry. Minions flags and the Japanese flag flying side by side on the left flagpole.

Riding the Jurassic Park Boat in Winter

Without an Express Pass, it was pure wait-in-line strategy. Jurassic Park – The Ride has you board a boat to tour a jungle before a final steep drop. Only when I was about to sit down did I understand why everyone in front was wearing plastic ponchos. If you get soaked in winter, the rest of your day is torture. Ponchos sell at the park, and many people bring convenience store rain gear from home in advance. The two people in front of me wrapped plastic over their heads entirely, while I sat down bare-skinned and my left shoulder got completely drenched on that final drop.

Red boat passing under the Jurassic Park sign with passengers wearing plastic ponchos, jungle palm scenery visible — The moment the boat passes through the JURASSIC PARK gate. This is where the poncho-wearers separate from the rest.

A photo of the drop is automatically captured and appears on a monitor near the exit. USJ-14 boat, water spray filling the frame. The kids in front wearing red, blue, and pink jackets looked like they were having the time of their lives, while most of the adults in back had their eyes shut. It's a paid purchase, but you can just look at the screen and move on if you want. I just snapped a photo of the monitor and left.

Jurassic Park ride commemorative photo of boat USJ-14 during the steep drop displayed on exit monitor — Ride photo displayed on the exit monitor. Watermark densely applied.

Late Lunch in the Jaws Area

By the time we'd finished with lines, lunch hour had passed, and it wasn't until after 2 p.m. that I sat down at a restaurant in Jaws area. The set came with French fries piled in a paper shark-mouth box, topped with a plastic-wrapped sandwich and burger. On top of the bun was a shark jumping out of water drawn with a branding iron. The blue wrapping paper was covered in shark illustrations.

To be honest, the taste was standard theme park fare. The battered fish patty had a crispy exterior but was lukewarm inside, and the fries were more bland than salty. Still, this box is worth the photo. The moment I looked down at the tray with blue jelly-like drinks and cups in various colors lined up, some of the frustration from standing in line earlier melted away. Price varies by set composition, so check the in-store menu board for exact prices.

French fries in a shark-mouth-shaped paper box, sandwich wrapped in blue shark-patterned paper, burger bun with shark branding iron mark, and various drink cups — Shark box set from Jaws area. The branding iron shark mark on the bun is the highlight.

Snoopy Takes Flight as the Sun Sets

After a full day of lines, I headed over to Universal Wonderland in the evening. There's a ride where Snoopy streaks skyward like a spaceship, and as the sun set and the sky turned a pale blue-gray, the lights came on one by one. A child in a blue jacket rode on Snoopy's back, laughing as they passed by. From an adult's eye level looking up, Snoopy's nose comes almost to face level. Behind it, the silhouettes of Osaka's residential buildings overlapped in view, suddenly making it clear that this was, after all, a theme park on reclaimed land in the middle of the city.

Large Snoopy character ride flying across the sky at dusk with a child in blue jacket on top, Osaka city buildings visible in the background — Snoopy ride at Universal Wonderland. Sunset is the most beautiful time.

Next Time, I'll Do It This Way

Tallying up the day, the actual attractions I rode could be counted on one hand. The rest of the time went to standing in line and walking. What I regretted wasn't missing thrill rides—it was not having time to leisurely explore the park's alleyways or watch the parades.

Buy your Express Pass first thing once your travel dates are set. On-site purchases are essentially non-existent.
If you're riding water attractions in winter, bring a poncho, towel, and extra socks. Getting soaked ruins the entire rest of your day.
For meals, avoid the noon rush—eat before 11 a.m. or after 2 p.m. Restaurant lines during lunch peak are just as long as attraction lines.
A portable charger is essential. Checking wait times on the app and taking photos drains your battery by afternoon.

Still, the memory of that child laughing in front of Snoopy made the whole day feel worthwhile. Next time, I'll hold that Express Pass in hand and explore the alleyways instead of lines.