The crowds at Universal Studios Japan can be some of the biggest at any theme park. Knowing what the crowd levels are on the days you plan to visit is key. I’ll show you what the best and most accurate Universal Studios Japan crowd calendar is and how it works.

For a more in-depth look at the crowds (including a breakdown of every month at the park) check out our comprehensive 200-page Universal Studios Japan Trip Planning E-Book. It’ll save you time and stress during your trip, and has special chapters on Osaka and Kyoto too!

I recommend buying your Park tickets in advance to save yourself time. Read our guide on How to Buy Universal Studios Japan Park Tickets and even save yourself some money.

Universal Studios Japan Crowd Calendar

I recommend this crowd calendar which I find is the most accurate. You’ll notice it’s only in Japanese (ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン 混雑予想), if you use Google Translate, you’ll be able to get an idea of what it’s saying. However, some elements don’t translate very well, so the picture below will definitely help.

The same website also offers a Tokyo Disney Resort crowd calendar. Check out our guide for how to read it.

Crowd Calendar Overview

The most important part is colour-coded numbers. Those show how many people are predicted in the park. I have a detailed explanation of what the colours mean after this section.

What do these colour-coded numbers mean?

The colours on the calendar show how many people are predicted in the park. The darker the colour the more crowded it’ll be. If it’s your first visit, plan for days that are yellow and lighter.

Avoid the orange and darker coloured days. That means the crowds are high and potentially unpleasant. The dark red and black means the park may reach capacity. If you’ve been to the parks before, then orange is manageable since you’ll know the layout of the park.

No matter how busy the day is, always buy your Park Tickets for Universal Studios Japan ahead of time. The lines at the ticket booths can be huge, so having your ticket in advance means you can head straight to the gates.

FastPass & Wait Time Predictions

If you hover over a day there is more information including closures and what’s happening at the park. The important information is the standby line estimates (スタンバイ目安).

Numbers on the SB (MAX) row are the range of predicted wait times for certain attractions. Unfortunately, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and The Flying Dinosaur attractions are not included, so take these estimates with a pinch of salt.

Important: The closure information on this page is useful, but may not be complete. Check out our Universal Studios Japan Ride Closures guide for the up to date information.

Don’t stress too much about the crowds

Crowds at Universal Studios Japan are high, so as a general rule avoid the weekends and national holidays and visit Tuesday through Friday.

If you’re stressing on what days to visit based on this calendar, I suggest taking the following into account:

• What event(s) do you want to experience?
• Do my days fall on a weekend or holiday?
• What attractions are closed?

The fact that you’re reading this blog means you’re more than prepared for the crowds. Choose the day(s) that work best for you, compare them to the calendar, then adjust accordingly. The long lines at the start of the day are intimidating, but most days all those guests are absorbed into the park.

Let me know in the comments how the calendar worked out for you.

Now that you know how to read the Universal Studios Japan crowd calendar, head to out our 200-page guide which has all the information you need on tickets, accommodation, merchandise and more!