Universal Studios Japan rocks! You’ve got to visit this theme park at least once in your lifetime — ideally, during the Halloween season.

Getting express tickets is a bit complicated, so here’s a detailed guide to the theme park, which features Harry Potter, Minions, Hello Kitty, Resident Evil, Jurassic Park and other favorite characters.

Every September/October, Universal Studios Osaka turns into a zombie fest (literally, they send out walkers to attack!) For a limited time, there are frightening special attractions dedicated to Japanese horror — including Sadako of the Ring.

Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights are brilliantly produced, with the right balance of fear and fun. (But there are themed events all year round, which match the seasons.)

If you only have a day to explore, I highly recommend getting entry tickets in advance, as well as Express Passes to bypass long lines. The online process is more than a little complicated — so read on for a detailed guide to purchasing Universal Studios Osaka tickets from their Japanese booking website.

First, directions. To get to Universal Studios Japan, take the direct 15 minute train ride from Osaka Station to Universal City Station, on the JR Yumesaki Line (aka JR Sakurajima Line). You can use a JRailPass (unlimited Japan Rail Pass for 1-3 weeks) to ride all these trains, which saves costs and makes the trip even easier.

If you have a “timed entry” ticket and need to arrive by a certain hour, give yourself plenty of time to walk from the train station to the theme park. You might need an extra 30 minutes to purchase food outside the gates, or check your bags in the coin lockers (larger suitcases can be stored at Guest Services for a fee).

The amusement park goes all-out with seasonal decorations. Since I was there in late September, I got to see Hello Kitty, Elmo and Snoopy in spooky Halloween costumes!  (Shop for Sanrio goods below with a click:)

As for my outfit: I’m wearing a devilish T-shirt from Dead Gallery Iceland, and my tote bag is from Territory, DJ Taiki’s occult store in Osaka. 

I recommend wearing good shoes for walking around all day, and shielding your eyes with sunglasses and a hat (my cap is from the Drop Dead Clothing x Sonic the Hedgehog collaboration.)

Now, a guide to buying tickets and making the most of your visit!

Osaka’s Universal Studios is compact, and it doesn’t long to walk between the various districts. However, this is a popular theme park. To avoid the crowds, try to come early, and on less busy days (avoid weekends and holidays).

While it costs more to buy Express and Special Passes, I highly suggest that you do. Otherwise, you’ll wind up waiting 1-3 hours in line for rides, and you might not be able to see the special attractions at all (as they require advance passes that sell out fast).

If you’re going with a group of friends, I encourage you to designate one person to purchase tickets and advance entries. Otherwise, you won’t be able to coordinate the timed entrances, and “slowpokes” may not be able to get in at all.

Universal Osaka has an English-language sales website, but the available options in English are very limited (for example, when I checked, there was only 1 Express option and no Horror pre-sales).

Instead, you should purchase advance tickets from their website in Japanese. Let me warn you — this process is rather complicated and “Google translate” won’t work well, so ask a friend who is fluent in Japanese to help you (and reward them for their efforts!).

I can’t describe the entire process step-by-step because the Japanese website changes constantly, as the theme park updates attractions and passes.

However, I can give you a general overview. I recommend that you purchase three things well in advance, from the Japanese language site (or if you’re in Japan, you can go to any Lawson to order them):

1) An Entry Ticket ($75), which everybody need just to get inside the theme park. If you don’t get this ticket in advance, you may need to line up outside the gates for 1-2 hours. (If you decide to only get the basic entry ticket, you can purchase this on their English site. There’s also a cheaper evening-only entry price.)

2) An Express Pass, which lets you skip the lines on certain rides. The Japanese language site gives you a variety of Express options, which range in price. I suggest that you figure out which rides/attraction you want to see, and then pick the pass that matches. I personally went for the $55 “15th anniversary Express pass,” which let me access Harry Potter and 3 rides. A steep fee, but this lets you go straight to the front of the line instead of waiting 2-3 hours for the popular rides. Worth it, especially if you only have a day to explore.

3) Advance tickets to Special attractions that you’re keen to see. Again, this will change with the seasons; in my case, I did the $75 package to skip the lines at three Japanese horror attractions. These special events require advance/extra passes regardless, and they sell out fast — so advance entry may be the only way you’ll be able to get in. 

Ready for another layer of challenges? The Express and Special attraction passes have timed entries — meaning that you have to pick the exact “time window” for going to the front of the line.

Some of these “windows” sell out — so you’ll have to compare time-charts in Japanese, and do some juggling to figure out a schedule that works. For example, I chose an 11-11:20am entry for Harry Potter, and a 1:10pm entry for the first Japanese Horror attraction, followed by a 2-3pm window for the Jurassic Park rollercoaster, and so forth. The attractions may be in different areas of the park, so give yourself enough time to walk over.

Final puzzle: How to pay for Universal Studios advance tickets? If you’re in Japan, you can go to any Lawson within a day to pay. If you’re outside the country, you must use a credit card to check out from the Japanese website.

Here’s the trick: you need to input a Japanese address AND phone number, or else your credit card won’t go through. You can try putting your Osaka hotel’s address and phone; it took me a few tries, but I finally managed to get through to the confirmation page.

Complicated? Expensive? Yes, but it’s worth it for guaranteed timed entries and to avoid waiting in queue. I’m glad I splurged on the Express and Japanese Horror passes, and booked weeks before so that I had many timed entry options to choose from.

You can also save money by bringing in outside food (just keep it hidden in your bag) rather than eating the theme park food, and resisting the merchandise. 

All right — now we’re inside, and ready to explore Universal Studios Osaka!

The park is divided into different sections: Jaws, Jurassic Park, Terminator, Spiderman, Waterworld, Harry Potter, Snoopy and more. The attractions are constantly changing; there previously were Resident Evil and Evangelion features.

From September to October, Universal dresses up its characters in Halloween costumes. Since this is my favorite holiday, I was excited to visit during this time.

As you can see in the photos above, many visitors come in groups, and dress extravagantly (even when it’s not Halloween).

It’s a terrific opportunity to cosplay as your favorite Universal mascot. However, keep comfortable footwear and sun protection in mind, or else you may wind up at Universal’s First Aid office (they have one near the front gate).

I saw a lot of Suicide Squad and Minion outfits. Since this is Japan, I was happy to see Nintendo represented — “It’s me, Mario!” — and a bad Japanese schoolgirl in a sailor uniform.

I was excited to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for the first time. My heart raced when I saw “Please respect the spell limits,” and the pointed, snow-capped rooftops of Hogsmeade village. Universal recreates Harry Potter’s world magnificently, with swells of music and meticulous attention to detail.

All aboard the Hogwarts Express! In every area of the park, you’ll find the Universal Japan staff smiling and welcome guests. In Wizarding World, they helped children perform magic tricks with wands (a few gestures made it rain candy). There was also a Harry Potter choir and stage show, performed in both English and Japanese.

You can easily spend an hour or more exploring Harry’s home. A barrel dispenses Butterbeer, a sweet non-alcoholic beverage that is a bit like butterscotch. Personally, I didn’t enjoy the taste…

Hogwarts Castle looms high over the village. Stroll past the winged boars, and into Hogwarts’ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is the site of the uber popular ride, “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.” (Average wait time is 3 hours… but with my timed entry Express pass, I got to go straight in.)

The anticipation builds as you pass Dumbledore’s office, the Gryffindor common room and Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Then, you put on special goggles and get strapped into a moving chair — for a “4K 3D” ride that makes you feel as if you’re soaring through the skies with Harry, on a broomstick.

There’s also a small roller coaster called “Flight of the Hippogriff,” which dives past Hagrid’s hut. I was impressed by the moving recreation of the half-eagle half-horse creature, which you pass on your way up the tracks.

Shops, shops everywhere. You can purchase Harry Potter goods inside the various themed stores, such as Owl Post and Dogweed & Deathcap (which had a moving plant in the window.)

Inside Ollivanders, you can choose from an array of magic wands, including replicas of the film characters’ personal wands. They’re intricately carved out of wood and decorated, and are in the $50 range.

The staff does a fantastic job at immersing you in a fantasy world. I watched a little girl purchase a stuffed owl, and the shopkeeper gave her gentle instructions on how to care for the creature (“she needs lots of hugs, and to have her feathers brushed”).

I snapped a photo of these Japanese girls in front of Honeydukes, which sells sweets from the Harry Potter stories, including Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans and Chocolate Frogs.

I couldn’t help but smile as I strolled through the different parts of the park. Universal broadcasts holiday music, so I got to groove along to The Monster Mash and Time Warp.

Many of the live attractions appear at random. I caught a few Minions performing on a fire truck. Then, it was time for the parade.

Dancing Hello Kitties, and pumpkin-folk giving out free candy… How can this day get better?

Many visitors wore impressive costumes. Some couples dressed up together, such as this pair of Minions, and Hello Kitty and Daniel. 

Naturally, “kawaii” cute is a frequent theme. In the “San Francisco” section of Universal Studios Osaka, I came across three Little Red Riding Hoods.

Behold — it’s Hunk from Resident Evil! If anyone can survive the zombie apocalypse, it would be this guy.

As a horror movie fan, I was thrilled to see Jason Voorhees (Halloween) and Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street). They’re strung up as prizes, in the games section.

The zombie attacks and Japanese horror-shows start when the sun sets… you simply must read on to see what happens.

More here!

Skreeeonk! Watch out, Tokyo. It looks like Godzilla is taking over the city once again.

Did you know you can stay at a Godzilla monster themed hotel: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku? Only in Japan, of course!

Let’s kick off 2017 with a roar. I’ll take you inside Gracery Shinjuku, a wonderfully idiosyncratic hotel in the best possible location. (Godzilla’s claw points over Kabuki-Cho, the host club and nightlife district where most of the Goth / alternative events take place.)

● You can book a discounted room at the Godzilla hotel here, using my special link.

On the terrace of the hotel is a towering Godzilla statue — it doesn’t get more epic than this. The monster even moves and roars, with flashing eyes!

Where is this bizarre Japanese hotel located? From Shinjuku station’s East Exit, walk towards Kabukicho and go down the street near Don Quixote. Look up — you’ll see the Hotel Gracery sign, and Godzilla atop a skyscraper!

It makes sense that he’s towering over Toho Cinemas, which releases all the Japanese Godzilla movies. (Address: 1-19-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.)

The hotel has 30 storeys, which meant I had these soaring views of Shinjuku from my window. Gracery’s rooms are simple yet spacious, which provides great value (prices are around $100 a night). I spent over an hour soaking in the large bathtub, using the free red bath salts that I got when I checked in.

For fans of “dai kaiju”… There’s a Godzilla room that you can rent. Keep reading to see photos of the “monstrous” interior.

Hotel Gracery only opened in 2015, but already, it has become a Shinjuku landmark — thanks to the Godzilla perched menacingly over its ledge.

I’m wearing a Long Clothing Infinity Clip skirt. See more from this designer below:

If you’re a guest of the hotel, you can access the terrace where Godzilla lives… that is, if you dare.

Hotel Gracery’s convenient location makes it a perfect hangout. John and I invited our friends to join us for drinks and snacks at “Café Terrace Bonjour,” located on the eighth floor.

The cafe is guarded by a life-sized version of the monster, similar to this 1995 Godzilla statue that you can put in your home.

The relaxing lounge has an adjoining outdoor terrace, and large selection of snacks and cocktails. There’s even a Godzilla cake that you can bite into.

However, my friend Caro (who runs a Gothic baking blog) brought her own homemade spooky sweets for us to share. These are marshmallow ghost cookies are made with white chocolate and absinthe, in colors that match her green liquid lipstick. 

Everyone grabbed a ghoul to eat. By the end of the evening, they had vanished into thin air.

(Many of us are wearing Killstar, Long  Clothing and other Gothic styles that you can get on this site.)

In the evening, Godzilla awakens at the top of each hour (6pm, 7pm, etc). For a few minutes, he shakes his head and his eyes flash like lightning. The creature bares his pointed teeth and spits out fog — or rather, his secret weapon of “atomic breath.”

We did our own impression of the scary beast. I think Goths and Godzillas get along rather well together.

Beneath the behemoth, there are carvings of Godzilla from his films over the years. The monster’s design changes every time they release a movie, such as with the latest “Shin-Godzilla.”

Some of the depictions are more goofy-retro than frightening.

The sea-monster tries to take a bite out of my Strathberry of Scotland midi leather tote, which I decorated with a Devilish 666 bow.

For those who aren’t familiar with “Gojira,” (ゴジラ), the monster first appeared in Ishirō Honda’s 1954 film, Godzilla (more info here). He’s a raging, gigantic prehistoric sea monster whose powers were awakened by nuclear radiation.

Japan’s Godzilla quickly became a legend, and his name is now known all over the world. To this date, he’s the star of over 20 films, as well as video games, manga and spin-offs featuring his allies, rivals and juniors.

John, Atsushi and I are fans of Godzilla, even though he’s destroyed Tokyo over and over. My skirt is a Long Clothing Infinity Clip design; find more from this label at:

For super-fans, Hotel Gracery has two special suites dedicated to Godzilla! One gives you the perfect view of Godzilla’s head, from your window.

The other, called “Godzilla Room,” lets you get immersed in the monster’s universe. Everything is decorated playfully, such as trick walls that reveal art in black light, and a mega-statue that greets you when you enter.

The suite’s windows have decals of his frenemies such as Mothra, who appears to be spreading his wings over Tokyo.

High five to Gracery Shinjuku, for the creative Godzilla room decoration. Would you be able to sleep with his scaly hand on the wall, looking like it’s about to grab you?

One of the walls is decorated with his movie posters, from the 1950s to today. I enjoyed seeing the concept evolution over time. (Photos by John S and me.)

SpaceGodzilla came down from the stars. Such a creative window design — from this angle, it looks like he’s about to tear this skyscraper out from the ground. 

The Japanese love their home-grown monster, and even named this Godzilla road after him (leading from Meiji-doori to Hotel Gracery).

I always recommend that travelers stay in Shinjuku, since it’s close to everything. Hotel Gracery is in the best possible location: near Decabarz (the alternative Goth club), Golden Gai, host clubs, bizarre theme restaurants, cat cafes, and all types of delicious food. In the area underneath the hotel for example, there’s takoyaki, okonomiyaki, sushi, and Krispy Kreme.

Hotel Gracery did a spectacular job in executing the Godzilla theme. There’s impeccable attention to detail…

… and tributes to the “kaiju” all over the lobby, such as this mural leading up to the elevators. 

Fans of Godzilla, King Ghidara and Mothra — you’ve got to check out this unique hotel.

While in Tokyo, I got to rest my head at yet another theme hotel, Washington Akihabara. (Japan’s Washington Hotels are under the same umbrella as Gracery.)

Located in the “otaku” district of Japan, this is the only hotel in the world with a room dedicated to train aficionados. One of the walls contains a glass case, filled with miniature re-constructions of railway stations. (Above, can you spot No Face?)

Washington Hotel is once again in a convenient location: a 1-minute walk from JR Akihabara Station. (Address: 1-8-3 Kanda Sakumacho, Chiyoda, Tokyo)

Train fans can reserve Room 1304, which has a huge train track with professional levers. You can borrow one of the hotel’s model trains, put it on the rails, and use the gears to make it whizz around at different speeds. 

Above, you can see a blue and green train looping around on opposite tracks. The model set includes the city’s landmarks, including Tokyo Tower.

Once again, the rooms are clean and spacious, and excellent value (book a room for under $90 here). Hotel Washington also has a terrific included breakfast: I ate my fill of hiyayakko (chilled soft tofu), pickled vegetables, tamago and miso soup every day.

You can also find out more about Hotel Gracery Shinjuku and book a room here (you can request the Godzilla suite).

Have you watched any of the Godzilla movies? Would you stay in this eccentric theme hotel?

Coming up – a travel video and more posts from my JR Rail Pass trip through Japan. If you’re planning to come in the spring for cherry blossom season, it’s a great idea to get one of these unlimited passes, which let you ride the rails at a fraction of the cost.