Japan is one of the great theme park destinations in the world. Tokyo Disney Resort brings together two parks (one of them, Tokyo DisneySea, unique on the planet), Universal Studios Japan in Osaka is home to Super Nintendo World, and to these are added experiences as Japanese as the teamLab digital art museums or the Studio Ghibli park. This guide tells you what makes each one special, where they are and, above all, how to buy tickets and reserve access in advance so you do not get left out.
What theme parks there are in Japan
When people talk about theme parks in Japan, almost everyone thinks of the two giants: Tokyo Disney Resort (actually in Maihama, Chiba prefecture, next to Tokyo) and Universal Studios Japan, in Osaka. They are the two star visits, especially if you travel with children or are a fan of Disney, Nintendo or Harry Potter.
But the range is wider. Japan has made an art of the "ticketed space": the immersive digital art museums of teamLab in Tokyo, the Ghibli Park near Nagoya, the Hello Kitty park (Sanrio Puroland) or the extreme roller coaster one (Fuji-Q Highland) at the foot of Mount Fuji. There is something for every taste and age.
What almost all of them have in common is one thing: you buy a ticket and, very often, it is worth buying it before travelling. Some even sell out tickets for the day, and the fast-access systems (skipping queues) change frequently. If you are still deciding what to put in your route, in what to see in Japan you have the full overview of must-sees. Here we go park by park.
Tokyo Disney Resort: Disneyland and DisneySea
Tokyo Disney Resort is two parks next to Tokyo, in Maihama (Chiba): Tokyo Disneyland, the classic one, and Tokyo DisneySea, which exists nowhere else in the world. Each one-day passport gives access to a single park, and the dated tickets are best bought in advance. Which to choose, what they cost and how to skip the queues, in the Tokyo Disney guide.
Universal Studios Japan (Osaka) and Super Nintendo World
Universal Studios Japan is in Osaka and its big draw is Super Nintendo World, extended in December 2024 with Donkey Kong Country. Besides the park ticket, on the busiest days access to the Nintendo area may require a timed-entry ticket or an Express Pass. We explain it in the Universal Studios Japan guide.
teamLab: digital art museums in Tokyo
teamLab is not a theme park, but it is one of the most sought-after "ticketed experiences" in Tokyo and fits perfectly in this group: immersive digital art rooms where you walk among projections, lights and water. It is one of the most photographed things in the city. There are two different venues and it is best not to confuse them:
- teamLab Borderless (Azabudai Hills): it reopened in its new Azabudai Hills location, in central Tokyo, on 9 February 2024 (it was previously in Odaiba). It is a world of "borderless" works between rooms, in which you wander without a fixed route.
- teamLab Planets (Toyosu): the other venue, in Toyosu. Here you walk barefoot and through water in some rooms (wear comfortable clothing; there are areas where you get your legs wet).
How to buy the ticket
teamLab tickets are date and timed-slot and are bought online in advance: you practically have to book them before going, because the most popular slots sell out. If you want a specific time (for example, the first entry of the day), book well ahead. It is an ideal visit to combine with the rest of your plans in Tokyo.
Other parks worth knowing about
Beyond the big ones, these are other ticketed parks and attractions that may fit depending on your interests and your route:
- Ghibli Park (Nagakute, Aichi, near Nagoya): the park dedicated to the Studio Ghibli universe. It is not a roller coaster park, but a walk through settings from its films inside a large park (the former Expo 2005 site). Its five areas were completed in March 2024 with the opening of the Valley of Witches. The tickets are date and timed-slot, and very limited: you have to book well in advance. Sales two months ahead open on the 10th of each month and foreign visitors can also buy them through the official international website or authorised platforms such as Lawson or Klook.
- Sanrio Puroland (Tama, Tokyo): the indoor park of Hello Kitty and the Sanrio characters, about 30-40 minutes from central Tokyo. Very popular with children and fans of the kawaii characters.
- Fuji-Q Highland (Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi): at the foot of Mount Fuji, famous for its extreme roller coasters (and for the views of Fuji from the top). For those seeking adrenaline more than theming.
If you travel as a family, these parks (along with Disney and Universal) are regular highlights of an itinerary with little ones; you have more ideas in the guide to Japan with kids.
How to buy the tickets: the golden rule
If you take just one tip from this guide, let it be this: buy the tickets in advance and reserve the accesses as soon as possible. The most popular Japanese parks work with date-assigned tickets and, in many cases, with timed slots that sell out. Improvising on the day can leave you out or without the rides you most wanted.
| Park | Ticket | Fast access / key reservation |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Disney (Disneyland / DisneySea) | With date, online | Disney Premier Access (paid) and Priority Pass (free), via the official app inside the park |
| Universal Studios Japan | With date, online | Express Pass (paid) + Area Timed Entry for Super Nintendo World via app |
| teamLab (Borderless / Planets) | With date and slot, online | Book the slot in advance; the first hours sell out |
| Ghibli Park | With date and slot, online | Very limited capacity: book well in advance |
Best practices
- Install the official app of Disney or Universal before your visit day and create the account: the fast-access systems are managed from there.
- Arrive at opening. The Super Nintendo World slots or the Premier Access for the best rides are booked very early.
- Avoid weekends and Japanese holidays if you can: weekdays have less capacity and more access availability.
- Always check the official website before buying: the ticketing and reservation systems change from one year to the next.
Fitting the parks into your itinerary
Each big park asks, at a minimum, for a full day (sometimes more, if you want to see Disneyland and DisneySea, or take Universal at a relaxed pace). It is worth keeping in mind when deciding how many days to spend in each city and distributing the nights of your trip:
- Tokyo Disney and teamLab fit into your Tokyo days (Disney is very well connected from Tokyo Station).
- Universal Studios Japan is an Osaka plan: if you are going to go, reserve a full day there.
- Ghibli Park is near Nagoya, halfway between Tokyo and Kyoto on the Shinkansen; it can be a stop if you have a spare day and book tickets in time (a 21-day itinerary leaves more room to fit it in without squeezing the rest of the route).
If you travel with little ones, a theme park is usually the favourite day of the trip, so it is worth protecting it on the calendar and buying the tickets as soon as you have your dates settled.
