English version
USJ has become a hugely popular theme park among tourists worldwide, and in December 2024, it opened a brand-new Donkey Kong area.
One of the most popular events is Halloween Horror Nights, held from September to November. During this event, park staff dress as zombies and roam around in the evening. The zombies appear in seven different zones, featuring circus zombies, prisoner zombies, doll zombies, and even brutal zombies—some of whom might even speak Kansai dialect while interacting with visitors!
There are plenty of other seasonal events as well. Last year, the Sanji’s Pirate Restaurant, based on the manga One Piece, was so popular that tickets sold out within minutes of release. Thanks to a friend who took a day off to battle for tickets, I was lucky enough to go!
Other summer-exclusive events last year included the One Piece Premium Show, as well as water battles featuring Pokémon and Mario. Be warned—you’ll get completely soaked! If you don’t want to get wet, wearing a raincoat is a must.
Many of USJ’s shows and parades encourage audience participation. For example, the WaterWorld show features a special effect where performers splash water on the crowd every time!
Since annual passes are quite affordable, many Kansai locals have one. I had one myself, and my daughter has been a pass holder for seven consecutive years. For us, USJ is like a casual weekend spot—saying, “Got nothing to do, wanna go to USJ?” is totally normal.
By the way, in Kansai, we don’t call it “USJ”—we say “Uniba”. Kansai people tend to shorten words into three syllables with the accent on the middle one. For example, McDonald’s becomes “Makudo”, and Mister Donut becomes “Misudo”.
USJ also sells an Express Pass, which lets you skip long lines for popular attractions. This service is perfect for Kansai locals, who generally hate waiting in lines. Actually, this impatience has led to many time-saving inventions in Japan.
For example, instant ramen, which takes just three minutes to prepare, was created by Osaka-based Nissin Foods. Also, Japan’s first moving walkway was installed at Hankyu Umeda Station in Osaka.
Currently, USJ is hosting a limited-time Jurassic World event (until August 31), where you can get up close with life-size dinosaurs, interact with baby dinos, and even take part in a mystery-solving rally.
The Super Nintendo World area also offers an immersive experience where you feel like you’ve stepped into a video game.
Why not visit USJ in Kansai, where the lively and fun-loving local culture makes your experience even more exciting?
