About Universal Studios Japan:

Currently, the Universal Studios Japan location is split into eight sections: San Francisco, New York, Hollywood, Amity Village, Universal Wonderland, Waterworld, Lagoon and Jurassic Park. Visitors will enjoy a wide array of amusement rides that range from stimulating roller coasters to simulators that have been based on movies such as Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, Spiderman and Back to the Future. You will also find lots of child-friendly rides like carousels. A Harry Potter attraction is scheduled to open in 2014.

Universal Studios Japan offers visitors many photo-taking opportunities, as you will have the opportunity to meet characters like Hello Kitty, Sesame Street or Snoopy. There are a number of live shows put on daily, and even a night-time parade filled with illuminated floats that parade down the streets.

Directly outside of the theme park gates is Universal Citywalk, Osaka. This is a shopping mall that features lots of restaurants, hotels and other shops that sell Osaka souvenirs and Universal Studios merchandise. Moreover, the Osaka  Museum is also located on the fourth floor of the mall. This museum is home to an extensive collection of local dish vendors.

Park Hours:

The hours of the park usually range from 10:00 until 17:00 during the low season. However, during peak season the park stays open from 9:00 until 21:00. There are no days the park closes. For more specific hours you can check out the park’s official website.

Admission Fees:

If you are looking to visit Universal Studios Japan, the prices are as follows:

1-Day Pass:
o 4 to 11 year olds cost 4,300 yen
o 12 to 64 year olds cost 6,200 yen
o 65 years and older cost 5,700 yen

2-Day Pass:
o 4 to 11 year olds cost 7,400 yen
o 12 years and older cost 10,900 yen

Express Pass: This pass allows riders to skip lines to selected rides. You can get these passes to last through four rides for 3,200 yen or for seven rides at a price of 4,900 yen. These can be purchased at the gate or inside the park. Just beware that Express passes are subject to selling out on busy days.

All 1-day and 2-day passes include unlimited use of rides, and can be purchased at the gate or at a Lawson convenience store, JR ticket counter, partner hotels and select travel agencies.

Attractions at Universal Studios Japan:

The following attractions are spread out among the eight park areas:

Hollywood:

Hollywood Dream – The Ride
The Live Rock and Roll Show put on by Universal Monsters
Animation Celebration
Shrek’s 4-D Adventure
E.T. Adventure
4-D Movie Magic with Sesame Street

New York:

Terminator 2 in 3-D
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man: The Ride

Jurassic Park:

Jurassic Park: The Ride

San Francisco:

Backdraft
Back to the Future: The Ride

Lagoon:

Peter Pan’s Neverland

Snoopy Studios:

Snoopy’s Playland
Snoopy’s Sound Stage Adventure

Amity Village:

Jaws
Wicked
Land of Oz
Toto and Friends

Water World:

Waterworld: The Ride

Universal Studios Japan Location:

The address to this Universal Studios location is:
2-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana-ku, Osaka-shi

It can be accessed via a three minute walk from Universal City Station or you can ride the ferry near Tempozan.

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Change of Seasons:

Winter
Japan’s winter months span from December until February. During this time dry, cold air from Siberia moves over the region. Once the cold air reaches Japan, it meets the moist, warm air that comes from the Pacific. This meeting results in precipitation, causing large snowfalls to occur in the area that faces toward the Sea of Japan. Japan’s Pacific coast receives less snowfalls each year, but temperatures still get rather cold. Winters in the big cities within Honshu, such as Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto and Nagoya feature days where the high temperatures remain in the single digits, low teens or even just below zero on the Celsius scale. The good thing is that days in January and February will be cold, but the cold fronts usually do not last too long. This is the perfect time to grab a pair of skis or a snowboard and hit the Japan ski fields.

Summer
Japan’s summer spans from June through August. Their summers are dominated by air currents that are warm and moist, that flow in from the Pacific. This creates humidity and high temperatures through the majority of the country; the only exception is Hokkaido.

Early summer lasts from the middle of May until June. Rainy season usually occurs right after this time; beginning first in the south and slowly working north. Even though rainy season tends to inconvenience many, it does not hinder travel too much. However, typhoon season begins in August and lasts until October. During this time, travel to Okinawa, Ogasawara-shoto and Izu-shoto may become difficult or even impossible.

Spring and Autumn
Although the winter and summer months tend to be extreme, autumn and spring are unusually mild in comparison. During these two seasons, rainfall is light and days are mainly clear. Without a doubt – this is the best time to visit Japan!

The Best Time to visit Japan
There is absolutely no better time to visit Japan, than during the more climatically stable parts of the year. Such times can be between the months of March and May for spring, or from September through November for autumn.
The spring months witness the bloom of Japan’s renowned cherry trees (sakura). Such cherry trees begin to blossom in Kyushu during March, and then begin to advance toward the north, where the bloom reaches Honshu cities during the early parts of April. While the sakura are in bloom, the glory is beautiful, but it is short-lived, as it is usually gone within a week.

Yet, an equally good time to visit Japan is during autumn. This season features many soothing colors and nice temperatures. Japan’s autumn foliage patterns reverse, beginning with the sakura during October and reach Honshu sometime near November.

Less Desirable times to Travel to Japan
Anytime you travel to Japan during the winter or summer months, the weather will prove to be unpredictable. For example, midwinter months are usually cold; this is especially true if you are on the Sea of Japan coast, around the areas of Hokkaido and Honshu. On the other hand, the summer months are often hot and humid. Keep in mind that June encompasses Japan’s rainy season, which can bring downpours daily; then it hardly rains during the rest of the year.

Just keep in mind that peak holiday seasons can make very popular travel times; thus leading to problems with crowds and reservations. Such times of the year are the mid-August O-Bon, Shogatsu and Golden Week.

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Each theme park has its own special appeal. Tokyo Disneyland was the first Disney amusement park created outside the United States and, like the Disney Magic Kingdom in Florida and Disneyland in California, is based on many of the famous Walt Disney films. Yet, Tokyo Disneyland pays homage to its host country with unique parades and holiday decorations.

Tokyo DisneySea is a beautiful fantasy theme park that celebrates the Japanese love of the sea with seven different “ports of call.” There is Mystery Island, based on Jules Verne’s novels 20,000 Leagues under the Sea and Mysterious Island. Arabian Coast is a special place that celebrates the adventures of Sinbad, while Mediterranean Harbor offers you a ride in a gondola as if in the harbor at Venice. There is Mermaid Lagoon as well as Port Discovery, which offers you the chance to ride the Storm Rider into the heart of a hurricane. Lost River Delta is an Indiana Jones style adventure and American Waterfront features an elevated rail ride as well as the Tower of Terror ride that is similar to the same rides in the American parks.

Tokyo DisneySea will appeal to adults as well. The park features a number of high quality restaurants. And, unlike Tokyo Disneyland, alcoholic beverages are available. While, like Disneyland in America, Tokyo Disneyland may appeal more to children than adults, DisneySea is truly for everyone.

The best times to visit the Tokyo Disney Resort are in the spring and fall when temperatures are at their best. Winter is also a good time because of the smaller crowds.

While any time of the year is a good time to visit; the Resort and the parks are the most busy on long weekends and weekends, during school holidays and Japanese national holidays. National holidays occur mostly for mid March into early April, from the last week of July through August and the last week in December through early January.

Tickets can be bought the day you visit or in advance. Advance tickets can be purchased from travel agencies, at Disney Stores and from the Tokyo Disney Resort website. Advance tickets are good for two months or up to a year in advance, depending on the type of tickets that you purchase. You can use your Japan Rail Pass to travel to and from Tokyo.

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Cherry blossom season tends to be rather short, as Mankai, or full bloom is generally reached about one week after Kaika, or the first blossoms open. The blooming peak is over by the next week, and the blossoms begin to fall from the trees. At times, the season can be reduced even further by strong rains and wind.

The tradition of viewing these flowers is believed to have started during the latter part of the 8th century, during the Nara Period. The seasonal event is used to mark the start of rice planting season and also welcome the New Year’s harvest. During the Heian time period, this time of the year was welcomed by Emperor Saga with celebratory parties and feasts held in Kyoto’s Imperial Court under the Sakura trees. Even though this was originally restricted to members of the exclusive upper class and Japanese royalty, during the Edo Period in the early 1600’s, Hanami had spread to everyone.

The custom is carried on today as visitors from all over world take part in the traditional event. Still today, the annual customs attract visitors from all over to witness the gorgeous seasonal change, as they pinpoint and celebrate the start of a new scholastic and fiscal year with family and friends. An ordinary Hanami will generally consist of an outdoor party being held underneath cherry blossom trees during the day and night. Visitors bring beer, sake and food to picnics where they enjoy basking in the cherry blossoms as they fall down from the tree. The parties can last for hours, well into the nighttime hours where the moon shines on the pink blossoms. You can view many of the Cherry Blossom locations using the Japan Rail Pass.

Below is a list of popular places to view cherry blossom trees:

Tokyo:

- Shinjuku Gyoen

- Ueno Park

- Chidorigafuchi

- Sumida Park

Yokohama:

- Sankeien Garden

- Mitsuike Park

Kamakura:

- Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine

Fuji:

- Northern Shores of Kawaguchiko

- Chureito Pagoda

Matsumoto:

- Matsumoto Castle

Kanazawa:

- Kenrokuen

Nagoya:

- Yamazakigawa Riverside

- Nagoya Castle

Hikone:

- Hikone Castle

Kyoto:

- Philosopher’s Path

- Maruyama Park

- Arashiyama

- Heian Shrine

Osaka:

- Kema Sakuranomiya Park

- Osaka Castle

- Expo 70 Commemorative Park

- Osaka Mint Bureau

Nara:

- Nara Park

Yoshino:

- Yoshinoyama

Himeji:

- Himeji Castle

Okayama:

- Handayama Botanical

- Korakuen Garden and Okayama Castle

Hiroshima:

- Hiroshima Peace Park

- Miyajima

Takamatsu:

- Megijima Island

Matsuyama:

- Matsuyama Castle

Fukuoka:

- Fukuoka Castle (Maizuru Park)

Kumamoto:

- Kumamoto Castle

Sendai:

- Mikamine Park

Fukushima:

- Hanamiyama Park

- Miharu Takizakura

Rest of Tohoku:

- Kitakami

- Kakunodate

- Hirosaki Castle

Hokkaido:

- Matsumae Park

- Goryokaku Fort

- Maruyama Park and Hokkaido Shrine

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Kyoto is a compact city that is easily accessible by bicycle. However, if you plan to bike around Kyoto, remember that bicycle parking is permitted only in designated areas.

The list of things to see and in Kyoto is huge, here are some of the highlights.

A Maiko is a geisha girl who is still in training. The show costs about $220 and is highlighted by a traditional meal. The cost may seem high, but you get the chance to see a disappearing element of Japanese culture, before it’s gone. There are less than one-thousand maiko and geisha girls left in Japan.

Visit the Nishiki Market

This is a famous five block area known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen.” There are a multitude of shops and restaurants and many shops specialize in only one food and almost everything sold is locally produced. You can wander around this hub of culinary delight. Many shops give out samples and others sell sample dishes that you can eat right there. There are numerous eateries that range from complete restaurants to a few stools at an eating bar. The market is very old, dating back to 1310, and many of the establishments have been owned and operated by the same families for many generations.

You can visit the beautiful Ryoan-ji Temple, with it’s famous raked gravel rock garden. The meaning of the garden is uncertain, but it is designed so that from any vantage point, one rock is always hidden from view. The site was originally an aristocratic villa and became a Zen Buddhist temple in 1450.

You can also visit Kyoto Tower, were a lift will take you high above the city for a circular view of the Kyoto and the surrounding area. You can even see Osaka on a clear day.

And don’t forget the Kyoto Manga Museum with a collection of over 300,000 comic books that you can actually take down from shelves and read along with numerous other related exhibits.

You can feed the snow monkeys, at Iwatayama Monkey Park, where over 170 Japanese macaque monkeys romp and play.

And this is only the beginning. The city of Kyoto contains about twenty percent of Japans national treasures and there are seventeen World Heritage Sites as designated by UNESCO.

From high speed rail to ancient temples, Kyoto is a place where you can touch the past, experience the present and see the future, all at the same time.

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The biggest misconception about Japan is that it’s an expensive country to visit, but compared to the USA, Europe, Australia and Canada – Japan is inexpensive to visit. Tickets for ski lifts there tend to be less expensive, meals are cheaper and most resorts have decent budget accommodations. You can use your JR Pass to get to many of the ski locations in Japan.

Niseko, Hokkaido: Niseko receives much attention from overseas, and it is ever-popular with residents who hail from Australia. Most likely the most visited out of all Japanese snowboard and ski resorts by foreign travelers, you will find Niseko to be English friendly. This is a popular destination because of their great views of Mt. Yotei and near-guaranteed powder snow.

Hakuba Valley: This is a great ski location found in the Northern Japanese Alps, and is best to visit from the months of December until March. Hakuba Valley gained fame in 1998 during the Nagano Winter Olympics because they hosted several ski competitions, which included ski jumping, cross country, downhill and Super G races. They not only offer guests with world-famous slopes that feature peaks reaching 3,000-meters high and 30-kilometers long, but it is also a great place to snowboard.

Shiga Kogen: Located just a short hour and a half from Nagano, Shiga Kogen is found on the main land of Honshu. This is one of Japan’s largest as they have 21 separate resorts connected and accessed via one, single lift ticket. The most modern of the resorts are Yakebitaiyama and their neighbor, the village Ichinose. Both of these resorts offer ski-in and ski-out accommodations, fast lifts, great snow and extensive facilities. The local area is home to the camera-friendly and popular Japanese snow monkeys; you will find them at the Jigokudani hot springs.

Nozawa: The town that claims they are the home of Japanese skiing; this small village is full of culture, festivals, history and gorgeous old streets that feature an old-type Japanese aura. However, perhaps the thing that makes Nozawa so famous is the fact that they offer over 30 hot springs for public use.

Myoko Kogen: This large resort features a number of runs, great snow, a fast lift and a gondola system. This village is connected to three other resorts: Akakura, Ikenotaira and Suginohara. The main area with the most entertainment and hotels is Akukura. In addition, there are many naturally-occurring hot springs nearby.

The truth is that there are many great places to ski in Japan. As much as we wish we could list them all, that is impossible. Therefore, we chose some of the most well-known and popular of all the ski resorts around Japan. These are not only well-known by both tourists and locals, but you can guarantee you will have a good time!

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• Buy Yen before you get there – It’s recommended that you obtain Yen before you get to Japan to save some hassle when you get there. Even though ATMs are becoming more common, you can still spend a lot of your precious hours looking for these basics. Be prepared.
• Get a Tokyo Metro one day pass for unlimited travel (or use your Japan Rail Pass) – This will allow you to ride the metro all day and it won’t matter if you get lost.
• Relax – Japan is one of the safest countries in the world and even though you can get caught up in the craziness of it all, it’s very uncommon for crime.
• Ask a local – If in doubt then ask a local. The Japanese are renowned for their kindness and will always make an effort to try and help you out. Beware that many Japanese don’t speak English so you may have to ask a couple of people.
• Have a plan -Tokyo is like a movie in fast forward, so have a plan and utilise your time. With so many exciting things to do and beautiful sights to see, it’s best to have a plan of what needs to be done and when. Always allow time in between as it can take awhile to get between places (spend 3 – 5 days!).

Tokyo is one of the most amazing cities many travelers will visit in their lifetimes. Do your research, plan your basics and get lost in this exciting city.

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1. Mount Fuji

One of great things which you can do if you are going to visit Japan is to see Mount Fuji. This legendary mountain is the highest mountain in the country with 12,388 feet or 3,776 meters. Climbing Mount Fuji will definitely be great and unforgettable experience because it has an incredible full view of Hakone Mountain, Owakudani Valley, and Lake Ashinko. There are more than 1 million people who have reached the top of the mountain every year. Climbing season is when there is only less snow in the mountain and the weather is mild. This incredible mountain can be found in Hakone National Park.

2. Stay in a Ryokan

Aside from seeing the Mt. Fuji, staying in Ryokan is also great. Staying in Ryokan will provide you with the gentle smell of tatami, understated beauty of interiors, meticulous service, outdoor baths on hot springs, calming silence, and multi-course meal which is locally produced. You will be to experience all these if you are going to stay in Ryokan with 100,000 yen each night. But you can also try the less formal and smaller minshuku which will also provide you with similar traditional yet less expensive experience in just 10,000 yen each night.

3. Soak In A Hot Spring

Soaking in natural hot spring in Dogoo will definitely be a great experience for you as well. It may be quite awkward since you will be soaking naked, but it can actually heal you and make you feel more relax. Dogo is one of the most renowned resorts in Japan where there is an architectural gem bathing room. Aside from Dogo, there are still several ryokan and public baths with onsen all over the country.

4. Ride A Bullet Train

A journey in a bullet train is an incredible experience which you can have when you visit Japan. This shinkansen operates since 1964 with a speed of 186 mph, wherein it will be just a wink for you to go from one place to another. Riding in a bullet train is the means of transportation in Japan, where it will provide you with comfy seats and bring you to your destination within a short period of time.

5. Play Pachinko

One amazing thing which you can do to relax is to play with balls in pachinko parlor. The smoky and noisy atmosphere might not be ideal but this kind of pastime is really, so it would be great if you are going to experience it. You can pay balls and play with them by bringing the balls into the hole using the machine. If you are able to put your balls on the right hole, you can exchange it with cash.

All these things would definitely provide you with great and unforgettable vacation experience in Japan.

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1. Plan your itinerary

There are many wonderful places to see in Japan, as mentioned above. In fact, there are so many places to see that it would take years to include everything. Plan your itinerary to make sure that you don’t miss any of the places you most wanted to see. A good itinerary also makes it possible to travel around the country in an unrushed manner.

2. Buy a rail pass

Rail passes that enable unlimited travel around Japan are available to tourists. This includes travel on the JR Rail Line, It’s not valid for “NOZOMI” and “MIZUHO” trains on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen lines (and the Nozomi Super Express). It’s a wonderful and relaxing way to see Japan without the hassle of driving. Buy a rail pass now

3. Don’t forget your passport.

Yes, this sounds like a no brainer, but you will need your passport. Australians can stay up to 90 days without a VISA. You can read more about the JR Rail Pass requirements here.

4. Exchange currency when you get there.

Currency exchange counters are located at airports and the fees charged in Japan are less then the fees than at exchange counters in the USA. Yes, you can use your credit cards, but there are usually extra fees attached for purchases made abroad. Carrying traveler’s checks is also a good idea.

5. Stay at a ryokan or minshuku.

A ryokan is a Japanese hotel that offers tradition Japanese accommodations. There is everything from traditional hot baths, to wearing slippers and robes and eating while seated on the floor and sleeping on futons. A minsuka offers the same experience, but in a private home. If you are looking for western style accommodations, you can find that too.

6. Avoid major holidays if possible.

There are certain holidays, such as the Obon Festival in August, the Golden Week in April and the New Year’s celebrations that run from late December to early January when you can expect considerably more crowding and traffic.

Perhaps the finest thing about Japan is the Japanese people. They are some of the most civilized and polite people in the world and worth getting to know. So, use these tips to plan your trip. It will be an experience that you will never forget.

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