Experience the Magic: A Full Review of the Harry Potter Studio Tour Tokyo

Introduction to “Harry Potter Studio Tour Tokyo”

Japan’s “Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter” opened on June 16, 2023 at the former site of Toshimaen Amusement Park. It offers fans of “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” to go behind the scenes of the films and explore the extraordinary world of filmmaking. If you want to buy tickets quickly, you can click directly on “Klook, Official Website, KKday“. If you have any questions after reading or find out too late that tickets are sold out, you can try to trade in the Tokyo “Harry Potter Studio” sharing and exchange group. In addition, the group will share ticket news as soon as it becomes available.（Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter tickets for January to March 2024 now on sale starting today!）

Preparation and Considerations for Visiting the Tokyo Harry Potter Studio Tour

Before your first visit, there may be things you don’t know. Having been there once, I have some insights that I would like to share with you all. Whether it’s early preparation or questions about the park itself, I hope these thoughts will be helpful for your future visits!

Please note that tickets cannot be purchased on site and are non-refundable once purchased. The advantage of this system is that each day’s entry is staggered and limited in number, so while there may be a lot of people on the site, it doesn’t feel overcrowded and you generally don’t have to wait too long to get your photo taken at each location.

There are free lockers on site where you can store your coat, bag and luggage and retrieve them during your visit. Please remember not to store food in the lockers. The park does not have amusement rides like a theme park. Visitors walk around the venue to see film sets, costumes and learn about the film making process from the exhibits. There are also interactive experience areas prepared for the audience.

Harry Potter Studio Tour Address: 1-1-7 Kasuga-cho, Nerima-ku, Tokyo 〒176-0074 Transportation: 2-minute walk from “Toshimaen Station” on the Seibu Toshima Line (17 minutes direct from Seibu Ikebukuro Station), or a 5-minute walk from “Toshimaen Station” on the Toei Oedo Subway Line. 【Discount】Skyliner Keisei Electric Railway ticket, Tokyo Metro Pass (24/48/72 hours)

If I have a midday ticket, at what time can I enter the park? You can actually get in early. I was able to get into the park about half an hour early, but getting into the park doesn’t mean you’ve got to the visiting areas. There is another gate to get to those places, so you can go in early and prepare inside. Once inside the park, there are shopping centres, dining areas and toilets, so you can wait there until it’s almost time to go to the square by the gate to get ready to enter.

Before you start the tour, make sure you use the toilets. Once the gates open, you’ll first walk along a path lined with posters. Then you’ll come to an introductory centre where a video in Japanese with English subtitles will be played. You’ll then watch an animated video. During this 40-minute period, the staff will mention that you will not be able to use the toilets. This part of the tour is like a locked room; you cannot skip it or leave on your own. So remember to use the toilet before you enter!

When you enter the tour area, you will be asked to scan a QR code and enter your email address. Everyone should do this as it relates to a game you’ll be playing later. Don’t just let one person in your group do it. Once you have entered the canteen from the film, you are free to move around. However, it’s a bit of a walk to the toilets, so it’s a good idea to use them first so you don’t have to rush back and forth.

Once you reach the dining hall, you’re about halfway through the tour. You can rest there and take some pictures of the outdoor scenes. When you leave the outdoor area and enter the indoor area, you’ll see Diagon Alley, and you’ll be approaching the castle at the end of the tour.

The whole tour typically takes about five hours if you’re not in a hurry. It all depends on how much time you take to explore and take photographs. There’s no time limit on how long you can stay, so you can take as long as you like, even over six hours, to slowly explore and take photos. However, please note that the last admission time is at 5:30 PM, and the park closes at 8:30 PM. If you only have three hours available, you’ll have to decide if that’s enough time for you.

According to the staff, flash photography is allowed inside the park. This is because the indoor scenes in the park are quite dark and the lighting is mainly overhead. If you’re using a DSLR without a flash, it can be quite a challenge. Photos taken with a mobile phone may look better at first glance, but the difference in quality becomes apparent after post-processing. It comes down to personal preference.

Most scenes don’t allow visitors in, but there are a few open sets where you can sit for photographs. Please line up and wait your turn. Some locations change between day and night, such as Diagon Alley, so you may want to wait for the lighting to change to get both day and night shots. One thing I realised after my visit is that this place is like a five-hour photogenic wall. Just pick a spot and start shooting!

In addition to the free activities, there’s also a green screen broomstick photo shoot towards the end. Whether you want to buy the photos or not, you can still experience it. Normally, the average person might feel a little uncomfortable during the photo shoot, especially if they’re not wearing a wizard’s robe. It’s even more out of place! And the price to get the video and photos is 6000 yen!

After the experience, you will be given a card with a QR code. You take it to the checkout area where they will show you the content you have just created and allow you to decide if you want to buy it. If you can’t decide on the spot, that’s fine. They will give you the card before you leave. You can scan it into your own QRCode account and add the content. This will be stored online for a while, giving you more time to decide if you want to buy it. As well as the photo opportunities, there are other experiences such as a Quidditch match. These aren’t traditional theme park attractions, but if you’ve got the time, it’s worth checking out all the interactive experiences in the park.

This is the Tokyo Harry Potter Studio Tour cheat sheet! If I think of anything else, I’ll add it later. There are so many photos I can’t even begin to post them all, I must have taken over a thousand! Keep an eye on the battery life of your phone and camera, and don’t forget to go crazy with your Magic Card when shopping! This is definitely a must-see new attraction for all Harry Potter fans! Don’t miss it if you’re in Tokyo, hurry up and get your tickets and include it in your itinerary, be prepared to spend at least six hours here!