Universal Studios Japan celebrates Halloween with its “Universal Surprise Halloween” featuring a terrifying selection of shows, horror mazes and atmosphere entertainment on offer every day from September 6, 2019, to November 4, 2019. “Universal Surprise Halloween” is broken into three different categories. Screaming Halloween & Otona (means “adult” in Japanese) Halloween are part of Halloween Horror Nights. While Kowa Kawa Halloween is the family-friendly portion of the event.

The attractions and entertainment are almost all included with the price of admission, with the exception of Hotel Albert II, which requires an extra paid ticket. The horror maze Biohazard: The Extreme also requires either an Express Pass or a free numbered ticket, which are available when the park opens. This is one of the most beloved and popular Halloween attractions at the park, so it’s recommended to either get to the park early or buy a Halloween Express Pass.

• Universal Studios Japan 1-Day Ticket
• Universal Studios Japan Surprise Halloween Express Pass
• Universal Studios Japan Express Pass 7
• Universal Studios Japan Express Pass 4
• Universal Studios Japan Express Pass 3

For more information on tickets, see our guide to Park tickets at Universal Studios Japan.

© Universal Studios Japan

Universal Studios Japan promises that this is the biggest and best Halloween in park history, with new and returning attractions sure to delight any fans of horror! Highlights include two new horror mazes, Biohazard: The Extreme and Area 51: Unidentified Encounter, as well as a Halloween layover for Space Fantasy — The Ride.

Guests of all ages can enjoy the Halloween attractions and shows throughout the park. The Kowa Kawa Halloween events are aimed at children, while the Halloween Horror Nights attractions are more suited for teenagers and adults. Check out all the details below.

• Immersive Horror Mazes
• Kowa Kawa Halloween
• Full Details

For more tips on Halloween Horror Nights and to plan the perfect trip to Universal Studios Japan, check out our digital travel guide.

Immersive Horror Mazes

Every year, Universal Studios Japan offers new and returning horror mazes for guests looking for intense scares. This year, three horror mazes are themed to Biohazard (known as Resident Evil outside of Japan), Area 51, and Chucky.

© Universal Studios Japan

Biohazard: The Extreme is a new update on the popular Biohazard horror mazes that have frightened guests for years. This rendition is based on the Resident Evil 2 video game, which was recently remastered for the current generation of video game consoles. Since this is expected to be the most popular of the new attractions, it requires either a paid Halloween Express Pass or a free numbered ticket that is available daily when the park opens.

© Universal Studios Japan

Area 51: Unidentified Encounter will take over the Backdraft attraction, and is the best way to discover the secrets of the famous military base. As the horror maze utilizes the Backdraft attraction, it will take approximately 25 minutes to complete. Expect the beginning of the maze to consist of small shows with actors, likely to be completely in Japanese. The area behind the attraction is transformed into a horror maze.

© Universal Studios Japan

Cult of Chucky: Chucky’s Hospital Ward of Madness sees the return of one of the park’s longest-running and most popular horror mazes. Enter a hospital that has been terrorized by the evil Chucky doll, and try to make it out alive!

Kowa Kawa Halloween

Kowa Kawa means “fearless” in Japanese, which is the perfect name for the family-friendly shows featuring the Minions, Peanuts, Hello Kitty, and Sesame Street characters.

© Universal Studios Japan

During the day, “Festa de Parade” will invite guests to join the Halloween fun with characters in fun Halloween costumes. During the “Happy Trick or Treat” experience, Minions characters dressed in spooky costumes shoot candy into the sky for kids to collect!

New this year is the Itazura Street experience in the New York area of the park. Kids are encouraged by entertainers to play pranks on others, or get pranked themselves! It’s trick or get tricked!

© Universal Studios Japan

At nighttime, the new “Wonderland Season Joy: Halloween Version” show begins! Characters from Hello Kitty, Sesame Street, and The Peanuts, dressed in sparkly Halloween costumes, come out to sing and dance with guests. It’s a great alternative to anyone too frightened of the zombies and horror attractions.

Universal Studios Halloween also includes:

• Screaming Halloween features terrifying frights throughout the park:
  • Frightening zombies of all kinds roam the park to terrify guests! This year, Medusa, Frankenstein, and hordes of aliens join the clowns, zombie families, and more that have scared guests for years!
  • Zombie de Dance – a returning favourite: every night zombies dance along with guests to some spooky music. Be sure to check out the stage at Gramercy Park to see the best zombie dancers show off their moves!
• Horror Mazes are sure to terrify every guest that dares to enter:
  • Biohazard: The Extreme puts a new twist on the beloved Biohazard horror maze, where guests have to follow either Leon or Claire to escape the zombie-infested Raccoon City Police Department.
  • Area 51: Unidentified Encounter invites guests to explore the mysteries of Area 51.
  • Cult of Chucky: Chucky’s Hospital Ward of Madness returns as guests try to escape a hospital terrorized by the evil Chucky!

© Universal Studios Japan

• Horror Theater and Horror Rides:
  • Space Fantasy — The Ride: Black Hole launches guests into an evil dimension, and have to escape through a terrifying black hole!
  • Blood Legend returns to frighten guests with an original horrifying story presented at the Cinema 4-D Theater.
  • Sadako: The Cursed Attraction sees the girl from The Ring continue to haunt guests at the Terminator 2: 3D attraction.

© Universal Studios Japan

• New “The Cursed Rose Garden,” a new adult horror area in Central Park where guests can take pictures in a dark and mysterious setting.
• Festa de Parade features the Minions and other popular characters decked out in Halloween costumes in a fun, energetic, and family-friendly parade through the park!
• Happy Trick or Treat rains candy down on guests, and kids can try to pick up as much candy as they can!
• New Itazura Street in the New York area of the park, where kids are encouraged to prank entertainers or be pranked themselves!
• “Trick or Treat” in the park! Cast members that wear sparkly pumpkin bags, or brown bags with a pumpkin strap in Hogsmeade Village, will give candy to any children that say “trick or treat!”
• New Wonderland Season Joy: Halloween Version in the Universal Wonderland area, where your favourite characters come out to dance and sing in sparkly Halloween costumes!
• Halloween Character Greetings:
  • Minion Monsters
  • Elmo, Snoopy, and friends in spooky Halloween costumes
• Halloween Market offers fun Halloween themed snacks, such as the Hello Kitty Chucky tomato bun and churro. The menu changes every night at 6 p.m., where the food is more “zombified”!
• Park Side Grille: Cursed Rose Banquet is a new experience, where guests can enjoy a cursed version of the popular restaurant with a new Halloween menu
• Halloween Premium Buffet at the Lombard’s Landing restaurant. Reservations are required and can be made online, only in Japanese
• Cute Halloween Merchandise:
  • Minions Halloween plushies, t-shirts, and souvenirs
  • Hello Kitty Chucky plushies, keychains, and clothing
  • Halloween themed stationery, snacks, and headwear
  • Zombie-themed cookies
• Halloween decorations in Hogsmeade Village
• Zombie makeup and face paint. Have your face painted with cute Halloween designs, or have your face done up professionally to look like a zombie! Zombie makeup experience requires a reservation and purchase of the zombie makeup kit.

There’s lots of merchandise and food to enjoy during Halloween at Universal Studios Japan!

Please note that for the horror attractions, there are age limits based on different levels. These also give a good indication of how scary the attractions are.

• Level 1, 2, 3: Preschool age children and younger are not permitted. Elementary school-age children must be accompanied by an adult:
  • Space Fantasy — The Ride: Black Hole (Level 1)
  • Park Side Grille: Cursed Rose Banquet (Level 1)
  • Street Zombies & Zombie de Dance (Level 2)
  • The Cursed Rose Garden (Level 2)
  • Sadako: The Cursed Attraction (Level 3)
  • Blood Legend (Level 3)
• Level 4 & 5: Elementary school-age children and younger are not permitted:
  • Area 51: Unidentified Encounter (Level 4)
  • Biohazard: The Extreme (Level 5)
  • Cult of Chucky: Chucky’s Hospital Ward of Madness (Level 5)
• Hotel Albert II: The horror level is so extreme that junior high school-age children and younger are not permitted.

© Universal Studios Japan

Check the official Universal Studios Japan website for event schedule, how to obtain tickets and further details on all items listed here. Information and images from the Universal Studios Japan press release.

Are you planning a trip to Osaka to visit Universal Studios Japan? Then check out our “TDR Explorer Guide to Universal Studios Japan” with 190 pages of our best travel tips, advice, and information to plan the perfect trip to Universal. It even has dedicated chapters on Osaka and Kyoto, too!

This wonderful article was written by Explorer Parker! Follow them on Instagram.

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