THMPRK8.0/10
Photo: Universal Studios Japan / Universal Destinations & Experiences
Destination guide
Kansai (Osaka)
Osaka’s modern park history includes the first Universal Studios theme park developed outside the United States.
The story behind the day out
Cinema-based entertainment arrives in Osaka
Universal Studios Japan opened on 31 March 2001. Universal’s anniversary account traces the Osaka destination’s development from that opening into a park with successive new themed experiences. The historical milestone is the arrival of a major film-based park model in Japan. For this region, Osaka is the relevant anchor; parks marketed to the broader central-Japan travel area should not automatically be described as being in Osaka or Kansai.
Sources & further reading
Historical sources checked 25 October 2026.
THMPRK7.5/10
Photo: Nagashima Resort