Universal Studios Japan Tickets 2026: Prices, Express & Nintendo

Universal Studios Japan tickets are date-specific and priced by day. At time of writing (Oct 2026), an adult 1-Day Studio Pass starts at ¥8,400 on USJ’s price list, and the dates on sale from late October to mid-December cost ¥9,400 to ¥11,900. A date’s price can rise after it goes on sale, so book early on the official Web Ticket Store. Super Nintendo World needs a separate step on busy days: an Area Timed Entry Ticket from the official app, or a guaranteed slot bundled with certain Express Passes.

Below: how the 2026 pricing works, where to buy, which Express Pass is worth it, how Super Nintendo World and Donkey Kong Country entry actually works, and what to do in your first hour. Everything is checked against USJ’s own pages as of 19 October 2026.

How much are Universal Studios Japan tickets in 2026?

The standard ticket is the 1-Day Studio Pass. It covers park entry and all regular attractions. It is sold for a specific date and the price depends on that date.

What changed in 2026: USJ announced on 30 June 2026 that, for visits from 1 September 2026 (on sale from 1 July), daily prices can be re-assessed and raised after sales open, based on demand. A new lowest tier of ¥8,400 was added, ¥500 below the previous floor. USJ has not published how high a date can go. Its own advice is blunt: prices may rise, so buy as early as you can.

The good news: if a date gets more expensive after you’ve bought, you don’t pay the difference. The change applies to child and senior tickets too.

Prices from USJ’s official ticket page and Web Ticket Store, at time of writing (Oct 2026). “From” is the lowest price on USJ’s list; your date may cost more.

Ticket	What you get	Adult	Child (4–11)	Senior (65+)
1-Day Studio Pass	Full day, all regular attractions	From ¥8,400	From ¥5,500	From ¥7,600
Twilight Pass	Entry from 3pm	From ¥5,900	From ¥3,900	Not listed
1.5-Day Studio Pass	From 3pm on day one, full day two	From ¥13,600	From ¥8,900	Not listed
2-Day Studio Pass	Two full consecutive days	From ¥16,000	From ¥10,500	Not listed

What dates actually cost right now: the store sells tickets up to about two months ahead, releasing one new date each day (62 days out). On the official calendar in October 2026, adult 1-Day prices for 20 October to 19 December ranged from ¥9,400 to ¥11,900. Halloween Horror Nights weekends and most of late October sat at the top, ¥11,900. Midweek dates in mid-November and early December were the cheapest, at ¥9,400. On those dates the lowest child price showed as ¥5,800 and the lowest senior price as ¥8,500. The ¥8,400 floor wasn’t on any date we could see.

Who pays what: adults are 12 and over, children 4 to 11, seniors 65 and over, and under-4s go free. Japan’s school-year rule means a child starting junior high in April pays adult from 1 April.

Family deal: the Holiday Kids Free Pass lets one child (4 to 11) in free with each paying adult for visits from 13 November to 30 December 2026. It’s sold on the official store and the price varies by date.

Things the ticket does not do: there’s no re-entry once you leave (Annual Passes aside), and it doesn’t include Express Pass queue-skipping or guaranteed Super Nintendo World entry.

Where should you buy USJ tickets?

Buy from the official store or an authorised seller. USJ says resale is strictly prohibited and that QR codes on resale tickets (from auction sites and the like) will be nullified at the gate. That rules out cheap ticket swaps on social media.

1. USJ Official Web Ticket Store (Official)

The Lowdown: The source of every price and date. You pick your date, pay, and get a QR ticket. No exchange needed at the park, you go straight to the gates.

Where: Online, linked from usj.co.jp. Japanese-language store at store.usj.co.jp.

The Vibe: Official, complete, and occasionally behind a virtual queue when big events go on sale.

Price: From ¥8,400 (adult, 1-Day Pass, visits from 1 Sep 2026).

Official Link: USJ Tickets

💡 Japan Pro Tip: Dates go on sale 62 days ahead, one day at a time, and that’s when they’re usually cheapest. Expect an online waiting room at busy times; ours cleared in under a minute.

2. usjticketing.com (Official English-language store)

The Lowdown: USJ’s English pages link to this site as the “Official Web Ticket Store”. It is operated by JTRWeb Ltd, which describes itself as an authorised ticket reseller of Universal Studios Japan. It sells Studio Passes, Express Passes and VIP/event products.

Where: Online.

The Vibe: Built for overseas visitors. Same products, English checkout.

Price: Date-based, as per the official calendar.

Official Link: USJ Ticketing

💡 Japan Pro Tip: Save the purchase confirmation email. It’s what you’ll need if you want to change your date later.

3. Travel agencies and booking platforms (Resellers)

The Lowdown: USJ lists travel agencies that sell its tickets (JTB and other contracted agencies; in Japan, Lawson Ticket too), and some agency packages include Super Nintendo World Area Timed Entry. Platforms such as Klook, KKday and GetYourGuide also sell Studio Passes and Express Passes. There are no ticket sales at the park itself.

Where: Online or in-store.

The Vibe: Handy if you’re bundling a hotel, transfers or a pass with timed entry.

Price: Varies. Compare against the official calendar for your date.

Official Link: USJ travel agency list

💡 Japan Pro Tip: Agency tickets follow the agency’s own change rules. USJ says to contact the agency directly for date changes.

4. Partner hotels (On-site and nearby)

The Lowdown: Guests at USJ’s partner hotels can buy tickets on their check-in day and the following day.

Where: Partner hotels around Universal City.

The Vibe: A safety net if you’ve left it late.

Price: Same date-based pricing.

Official Link: USJ Tickets

💡 Japan Pro Tip: Don’t rely on this for peak dates. The price has probably already climbed by then.

Can you change the date or cancel a USJ ticket?

Changing the date: yes, for most park tickets. Cancelling: no.

• Eligible for date changes (bought on the official store): 1-Day, 1.5-Day and 2-Day Studio Passes and the Twilight Pass. Limited-time passes can only move within their valid period.
• Window: from the purchase date until 90 days after the day following your original date.
• Fee: free. If your new date costs more, you pay the difference.
• Not eligible: passes bundled with an Express Pass or other tickets. You also can’t change the ticket type, number of tickets, age band or delivery method.
• Refunds: USJ says purchased tickets can’t be cancelled unless there are legal grounds. Some tickets can be covered by USJ ticket cancellation insurance at purchase.

Prices now rise closer to the date, so book early and use the free date change if plans move.

Is the Universal Express Pass worth it?

The Universal Express Pass gets you into shorter, separate queues for a set list of rides. It is sold on top of admission. You still need a Studio Pass.

How it works:

• Each pass covers a fixed list of attractions. Which passes are on sale, and what they cost, changes from day to day.
• Some rides have a fixed time printed on the pass; others work any time that day. One ride per listed attraction.
• Each guest needs their own pass. Passes can’t be shared and only work on the printed date.
• Miss your time slot and you lose it, with no refund and no switching.
• Some Express Passes include a confirmed Super Nintendo World entry time (“Area Timed Entry Ticket: Advance Booking”). For many visitors this is the real reason to buy one.

Prices: Express Passes are one price for all ages. Prices vary by date and stock, and USJ says it has no plans to change the 2018 date-based Express system in the 2026 update. These are USJ’s own “from” prices at time of writing (Oct 2026):

Pass	Covers	From (all ages)
Universal Express Pass 4	4 set attractions	¥6,800
Universal Express Pass 5	5 set attractions	¥12,200
Universal Express Pass 7	7 set attractions	¥14,100
Universal Express Pass 8	8 set attractions	¥15,500
Universal Express Pass Premium	All Express-eligible attractions	¥27,600

The “from” price is the cheapest version on the cheapest day. Versions with Super Nintendo World entry, and busy dates, cost more. Each pass number comes in several versions with different ride lists, so check which rides yours includes before you pay.

When it’s worth it: you’re visiting on a weekend, a Japanese school holiday or during an event like Halloween Horror Nights. You have one day and you want guaranteed Super Nintendo World. You want the big rides without spending most of the day queuing.

When to skip it: you’re going on a quieter weekday, you’re happy to start at opening, and you’re fine using the free app system for Super Nintendo World.

Do Express Passes sell out? Yes. They’re limited and sold per date. The passes with Super Nintendo World timed entry go first on busy days. If you know your date, book the Express Pass when you book the Studio Pass.

How does Super Nintendo World timed entry work?

Super Nintendo World is two connected zones: Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country. Inside are Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge, Yoshi’s Adventure and Mine Cart Madness (the Donkey Kong coaster), plus the Power-Up Band Key Challenges.

Depending on how busy the park is, you may need a timed ticket just to enter the area. There are two routes.

1. Free, on the day, through the official app

• From 5 January 2026, USJ requires its official app to get Area Timed Entry Tickets and Standby Entry Tickets.
• You can only get them after you’ve entered the park.
• Once the set number of Area Timed Entry Tickets has gone, the app issues Area Standby Entry Tickets instead.
• USJ can stop or pause issuing them without notice, depending on crowds.

2. Guaranteed, bought in advance

• An “Area Timed Entry Ticket: Advance Booking” is included with certain Universal Express Passes and in some travel agency packages.

Even with a timed ticket, a ride inside can be paused or already finished for the day.

The area’s 5th Anniversary programme runs from 18 March 2026 to 11 January 2027 (dates subject to change).

Our call: on a quiet weekday, the free app route usually works if you’re in the park at opening and claim your time straight away. On weekends, holidays or event days, pay for an Express Pass with timed entry, especially if Super Nintendo World is the reason you’re going.

What are USJ’s opening hours?

Hours change by date. On 19 October 2026, for example, the park was open 8am to 10pm. USJ also notes that on some days admission starts before the scheduled opening time, so the published time isn’t always when the gates open.

Check the official hours calendar the night before. Ride closures for maintenance are listed separately on the attraction closure page.

What should you do first? (Rope-drop plan)

1. Arrive well before the listed opening. Gates can open early, and the first hour has the shortest queues.
2. Get your Super Nintendo World time in the app as soon as your ticket scans. The app also does Yoyakunori (Reserve & Ride) bookings and live wait times, so set it up before you travel.
3. If you have a timed Express slot, build the morning around it and use other headline rides in between.
4. Pick one big queue early, while the park is still filling up.
5. Eat early or late. Restaurant queues build around midday, so an 11am or mid-afternoon meal saves time.

How do you get to Universal Studios Japan?

The park is next to JR Universal City Station on the JR Yumesaki Line. The Universal CityWalk shopping street sits between the station and the gates.

From	Route	Time (approx.)
Osaka / Umeda	JR Osaka Loop Line to Nishikujo, then JR Yumesaki Line, or a direct train	11 min
Shin-Osaka (shinkansen)	JR Kyoto Line to Osaka, then as above	16 min
Nishikujo	JR Yumesaki Line	5 min

Times are from USJ’s access page. Some trains run direct from Osaka; otherwise change at Nishikujo.

Pay with an IC card. Our IC card guide explains how. If you’re staying in Namba, our Namba Osaka guide covers the area. Coming from Tokyo by shinkansen? Check whether the JR Pass is worth it for your route.

What events are on at USJ in autumn and winter 2026?

Halloween Horror Nights 2026: 11 September to 8 November 2026

The 15th edition. It includes Resident Evil and Sadako attractions, Street Zombies, the Zombie de Dance party, and an R-18 experience that requires a waiver, Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation. USJ doesn’t recommend it for children aged 5 and under, and guests aged 12 and under need parental consent. Expect high demand on the evenings it runs, which is when Express Passes are most useful.

Universal Holiday Wonders ~Discover U!!!~: 13 November 2026 to 17 January 2027

The Christmas season. It includes the Universal Food Festival, the evening show Light Up the Night: Christmas Celebration, and the Joy of Lights show. Paid premium viewing areas for the two night shows are sold for 25 November 2026 to 11 January 2027, from ¥1,700. Expect festive weekends to sell at the top end of the price range, so book admission early.

Check the official events pages for show times. They vary by date and can be cancelled in bad weather.

How much does a day at USJ cost?

Admission is the fixed starting point, and Express Passes are the biggest variable.

Item	Cost
1-Day Studio Pass (adult)	From ¥8,400; ¥9,400–¥11,900 on dates on sale in Oct 2026
Universal Express Pass	Optional; from ¥6,800 (Express 4) to ¥27,600+ (Premium)
Super Nintendo World entry	Free via the app on the day, or bundled with some Express Passes
Train from Osaka Station	Short JR hop; tap an IC card

For a full-trip budget, see our Japan travel cost guide. Doing both Tokyo and Osaka parks? Our Tokyo Disney tickets guide covers Disney’s date-based pricing.

Conclusion: book early, then add Express

From September 2026, the price for a USJ date can only go up from the floor, so book your Studio Pass on the official store as soon as your dates are fixed, then use the free date change if plans move. On a busy day, add an Express Pass with Super Nintendo World timed entry. Want help planning your Osaka days around it? Browse Japan Pro experiences and book with English support.

Universal Studios Japan tickets FAQ