Universal Studios Japan and Super Nintendo World: tickets, Express Pass and timed entry

USJ at a glance

Opening hours change by date: check USJ’s operation-hours calendar for your day (on 24 October 2026 the park opened 8:00–22:00).

Studio Pass: which ticket

Lowest adult price for any date on USJ’s Official Web Ticket Store, checked 24 October 2026, tax included; your date may cost more. Child tickets are for ages 4 to 11 on the day (12 and over pay the adult price); children’s and seniors’ prices also vary by date.

• Prices follow demand. For admissions from 1 September 2026, USJ re-sets daily prices by demand and says prices may increase, so it recommends buying as early as possible. If the price for your date changes after you buy, you pay nothing more.
• One date, no re-entry. Every Studio Pass is for a date you choose at purchase. Once you leave, you cannot come back in (only annual passes allow re-entry).
• Changing the date is possible on unused tickets if certain conditions are met, through USJ’s rescheduling page; cancellations are not accepted except where the law requires.

Where to buy, and where not to

Buy from the Official Web Ticket Store linked from USJ’s ticket page (you go straight in with the QR code, no exchange needed), or from a travel agency USJ lists on its own Travel Agency page. USJ says tickets bought from resellers, such as ticket agency or auction sites, are nullified. That is why this page has no partner links for USJ tickets.

Visiting Osaka for a day or two as well? Osaka in one or two days fits USJ into the plan. Booking other must-dos in Japan, such as the Ghibli Museum or Pokémon Cafe? See how to get hard-to-book Tokyo tickets. Doing both Universal and Disney? See Tokyo Disneyland vs DisneySea.

Universal Express Pass: worth it?

An Express Pass lets you use a separate, shorter line on the attractions printed on it. It is an add-on: you still need a Studio Pass to get in.

• How it works: some rides on the pass have a set time printed on it; go at that time. The others you can ride any time they are running. Each person needs their own pass; show the whole ticket screen, not just the QR code.
• The rules: valid only on the date printed; cannot be shared; no refund or new time if you are late; no cancellation once bought. Height and health requirements still apply, so check them before buying for children.
• What’s on sale changes by date. USJ says the types and prices of Express Passes vary by day. On 24 October 2026 the official store listed more than 20 versions of Express Pass 4, 5, 7 and 8 from ¥10,800, and Premium versions from ¥41,000 (all ages, lowest price for any date). Many, including every version with Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge, came with guaranteed timed entry to Super Nintendo World; the store says so on each one.

When it is worth it: you have one day, the rides you care about most are on the pass, and you want Super Nintendo World guaranteed rather than depending on the app. When to skip it: you have two days, or the version for your date doesn’t include your must-do rides. We don’t quote wait times because they change by day; the official app shows live waits, so you can judge the rest on the day.

Super Nintendo World: timed entry

On busy days you need an Area Timed Entry Ticket to enter SUPER NINTENDO WORLD. Depending on conditions on the day you may walk in without one, or still wait after your time.

1. Before the day: install the official USJ app (iPhone with iOS 17 or later, or Android 9 or later) and register every Studio Pass in your group by scanning its QR code, so everyone gets the same time.
2. In the park: Timed Entry eTickets can only be obtained inside the park, on the day, with a pass that was read at the entrance gate. Get one in the app for the area.
3. When they run out: the app issues Standby Entry Tickets, a lottery. Request one at least an hour before the time you want; they are issued until three hours before closing. Only winners enter, at the time shown.
4. Enter the area at your time and show the eTicket.

• You get one Timed Entry eTicket a day, and can’t change its time or numbers once issued. Don’t uninstall the app before you use it: the ticket goes with it.
• Entering the area doesn’t guarantee a ride: some rides, shops or restaurants may be closed or full by then.
• To have entry guaranteed in advance (an “Area Timed Entry Ticket: Advance Booking”), buy an Express Pass that includes it, or book through a travel agency that sells it.

Getting there from Osaka and Kyoto

Universal City Station on the JR Yumesaki Line is about 5 minutes’ walk from the park.

Osaka, Shin-Osaka and Kansai Airport times are USJ’s own estimates; the Kyoto–Osaka time is approximate and USJ doesn’t publish one from Kyoto. Check your train on JR West’s route finder. The whole route is JR, so a JR Pass covers it. Flying into Kansai? See airport to city.

Based in Kyoto? A USJ day works as a day trip, but if you are using the 1.5 Day pass, a night in Osaka saves the late ride back. Our Kyoto in 2 or 3 days plan leaves room for it.

How many days?

• One full day is the basic plan, says Osaka’s official tourism site: the park is too big to see everything in a day, so pick your must-dos first. Popular areas in the morning, shows and shopping later, is its suggestion.
• An afternoon and a full day: the 1.5 Day Studio Pass starts at 15:00, which suits an arrival day in Osaka.
• Two full days: the 2 Day Studio Pass, for consecutive days, if you want everything without an Express Pass.

Before your USJ day

1. Buy the Studio Pass early (prices can rise), and the Express Pass if you want one.
2. Install the official app and register everyone’s passes.
3. Check the day’s opening hours and USJ’s list of temporarily closed attractions.
4. Have mobile data for the app; the ticket QR codes and the timed entry both live on your phone.

With children: child fares on JR, strollers on trains and the #8000 children’s medical line: Japan with kids.

Quick answers

How much are Universal Studios Japan tickets?

Prices depend on the date. On USJ’s Official Web Ticket Store on 24 October 2026, the lowest adult prices were ¥8,400 for a 1 Day Studio Pass, ¥13,600 for a 1.5 Day Studio Pass and ¥16,000 for a 2 Day Studio Pass. For admissions from 1 September 2026 USJ sets daily prices by demand and says they may rise, so buy early; a ticket already bought is not repriced.

Do I need an Express Pass for Super Nintendo World?

No. Depending on how busy the park is, you may need an Area Timed Entry Ticket, which is free in the official USJ app once you are inside the park. On some days no ticket is needed at all. Express Passes that include Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge come with guaranteed timed entry to the area, so you do not depend on the app tickets running out.

How do I get a Super Nintendo World timed entry ticket?

Download the official USJ app, register your Studio Pass (and your party’s) by scanning its QR code, enter the park, then get an Area Timed Entry Ticket in the app. When those run out, the app offers Standby Entry Tickets, a lottery you must enter at least an hour before the time you want; they are issued until three hours before closing. You can get only one Timed Entry eTicket a day.

How do I get to Universal Studios Japan from Kyoto?

By JR: the Special Rapid from Kyoto to Osaka (about 30 minutes), then the JR line to Universal City Station, about 11 minutes from Osaka Station. Add time for the change at Osaka and the 5-minute walk to the gate; JR West’s route finder gives the exact total for your train. All of it is JR, so a JR Pass covers it.

How many days do I need at Universal Studios Japan?

Plan a full day, says Osaka’s official tourism site: the park cannot all be seen in one day, so pick your must-dos in advance. With more time, the 1.5 Day Studio Pass gives an evening from 15:00 plus a full second day, and the 2 Day Studio Pass two full consecutive days.

Can I buy USJ tickets on resale or auction sites?

No. USJ says tickets bought from resellers such as ticket agency or auction sites are nullified at the gate. Buy from the Official Web Ticket Store linked from USJ’s ticket page, or a travel agency USJ lists on its own site.

Planning the rest of the trip? The trip planner turns your dates into a to-do list, with ticket release times in your own time zone.

Sources

Checked against these pages on 24 October 2026. Official pages take precedence over this summary.

1. Universal Studios Japan: Tickets: date-specific Studio Passes, no re-entry, resale warning
   The park’s own site.
2. Universal Studios Japan: Official Web Ticket Store: Studio Passes, Express Passes, prices by date
   Linked from the park’s own ticket page.
3. Universal Studios Japan: Pricing for Studio Passes to change (admissions from 1 September 2026)
   The park’s own site.
4. Universal Studios Japan: Travel agencies that sell Studio Passes
   The park’s own site.
5. Universal Studios Japan: Universal Express Pass: how it works, rules and FAQ
   The park’s own site.
6. Universal Studios Japan: Area Timed Entry Tickets (SUPER NINTENDO WORLD)
   The park’s own site.
7. Universal Studios Japan: Official app Timed Entry eTickets: Advance Booking, Timed Entry and Standby Entry
   The park’s own site.
8. Universal Studios Japan: How to get here by train: travel times to Universal City Station
   The park’s own site.
9. Universal Studios Japan: Operation hours and schedule
   The park’s own site.
10. Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (Discover Osaka): Universal Studios Japan: access and how long to stay
    Official tourism site of Osaka.
11. JR West: Timetables and route finder
    Railway operator.
12. JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR Group): Scope of validity: lines, trains and non-JR sections
    Official JR Group site.

General information. Prices, Express Pass versions, hours and timed-entry rules change; Universal Studios Japan’s own pages are always right. JapanBenri is not affiliated with Universal Studios Japan, Nintendo or any ticket seller, and earns nothing from USJ tickets.