When they announced that Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter would open in the summer of 2023 in the former Toshimaen theme park in Tokyo, I was intrigued. As a long-time fan of the series, this was good news. I had always wanted to visit the Harry Potter area in Universal Studio Japan. Still, since it is located in Osaka where USJ is, I always hesitated and ended up putting the trip in the backlog.
However, the new Harry Potter experience was closer to my location than USJ and I had no excuse this time. Having convinced my wife, I visited the studio tour in 2024 winter.
What’s my impression then?
I want to start positively: the studio tour was more exciting than expected.
Before the tour began for my timeslot, I arrived earlier and visited the biggest of the two souvenir shops, Studio Shop, and was pleasantly amazed. It was nothing short of magical, no pun intended. They crammed every nook and cranny with intricate interior details, showing how much care they poured into it. Some parts were narrow and hard to navigate between all the racks and people moving around and about, but it felt magic-like and charming.
When my tour timeslot came around I queued and promptly went in. The tour experience was mostly indoor but you wouldn’t feel it due to its size. They spared no expense to replicate the iconic scenes from the movies in the studio, some of which were meticulously constructed to match the grandiosity of their counterparts on screen. I couldn’t count how many times I was left in awe upon entering a new area. The details were larger than life and I enjoyed how the tour route was designed to celebrate the film-making aspects, where each area would introduce in-depth behind-the-scenes tidbits.
I truly enjoyed the whole experience but if I were allowed to have a nitpick to complain, it would be the price — not for the entrance ticket or add-on purchases which I think was reasonable, but for the food and goods. I could understand the goods as they were tagged with the branding. But the food?
Expect to spend around 4,000-5,000 yen for a satisfying meal for two. My wife and I were already familiar with the high price tags at the theme parks in Japan, but we were still stumped with the prices. I did not think the food was worth the asking price. It may not be the most expensive theme park meal but the cost stacks when you travel with family. If you are on a budget, I suggest you get your food before visiting and bring your drinks. If you have extra golden galleons to spare, feel free to fill up your belly!
Now on to the Q’s and A’s!
Should I visit?
If you’re a fan of Harry Potter, especially the movies? Absolutely. I was there for six hours and it was not enough to see everything. I adored every inch of the tour sets and replicas. Even if you’re not exactly a fan you’ll still enjoy yourself a lot though worry not.
Should I watch the movies before visiting?
No, not really. It’s not a hard requirement but of course, the whole experience would be more impressive if you did. So much that you’d probably end up wanting to watch all the movies after the visit like my wife did.
Should I come before my booked timeslot?
Yes, I think you should! Before entering the tour, you can visit two eateries out of four (The Frog Cafe or Food Hall) and a huge souvenir shop since they are all accessible right after the entrance.
Should I try the butterbeer?
Oh yes, I suppose so. But only if you like sweet drinks. Or cold drinks. Or if you’re not fussy about what you’re drinking. Because I was expecting a tankard filled to the brim with warm, creamy butterbeer on a cold winter night but I got a plastic mug filled to the brim with cold, fizzy, creamy butterbeer instead on a cold winter night. Not complaining though, it was lore-accurate as butterbeer can be enjoyed warm or cold. Of course, the one served here is non-alcoholic and you get to take the mug home.
Should I buy a Hogwarts robe, wand, and whatnot before the tour?
If you want I guess. I saw many people dressed in Hogwarts uniforms and I thought it was wonderful that many enjoyed cosplay. Covering yourself from head to toe in Hogwarts paraphernalia elevates the whole movie magic experience as you can reenact some memorable scenes. It doesn’t come cheap though as you might have to splurge to get the full set-up.
How crowded is it there?
I went on a weekend. It was jam-packed with muggle visitors, mostly younger audiences. I don’t think going on a weekday would see less traffic since most visitors come from abroad. You probably need to queue a bit for each photo-op spot. But since it’s Japan, I’m happy to report that most people behave well on the tour.
