Universal Studios Japan: Halloween Night Guide + Tips (2026)

Last Updated on September 18, 2026 by Kay

I am absolutely obsessed with Halloween at Universal Studios Japan, in particular, their HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS event.

After 6 PM from September 11th to November 8th, most of the park transforms into a zombie paradise where creatures of the dark roam about, scare visitors, and sometimes even dance to J-pop.

Most Halloween Horror Nights attractions are included with regular park admission, although some require a free Timed Entry eTicket through the USJ app. The exception is Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation, which requires a separate paid ticket. You can also purchase a ticket for a special viewing area for the Halloween Horror Nights Academy: 15 Years of Screams live show.

In this article, I’ll share my years of experience attending HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS at Universal Studios Japan so that you know what to expect, as well as provide some helpful tips.

Notably, this year is the 15th anniversary of HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS, so the attractions are more intense than usual!

Visiting Universal Studios Japan with children? Then make sure to read my family guide all about Halloween at Universal Studios Japan with kids. The article contains very important information on what to expect because the last thing you want is to traumatize your kids!

Day and Night Halloween Attractions and Rides

There are a few attractions and rides at Universal Studios Japan (USJ) that only run during the Halloween season. Some run all day, while others open only after 6 PM.

Unsurprisingly, lines for the horror attractions that run during the day are much shorter before 6 PM, although they can get very short about an hour before USJ closes.

Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation

This is a brand new adults-only horror attraction for Halloween Horror Nights 2026 and the first R-18 attraction in USJ Halloween Horror Nights history.

It takes place inside Stage 18 and is designed to be considerably more intense than USJ’s usual Halloween attractions. Guests must be 18 or older, sign a waiver before entering (!), and purchase a separate ticket for the attraction. The experience is also entirely in Japanese.

Interestingly, USJ prohibits guests from sharing details about what happens inside, so you’ll have to experience it yourself to find out! (I am not spoiling anything, but if it’s anything like the one I went inside over a decade ago, I will just say… be prepared. My friend and I were so scared that we were almost in tears. We ended up closely following (and hiding behind) a tiny old Japanese lady who had zero fear. The experience scared me so much that I will never go inside a haunted house ever again!)

Factory of Fear: Zombie Tour

I will admit that I did not do this tour because the videos online scared me too much. I don’t like jump scares and this seems full of them.

Factory of Fear runs from 10 AM until the park closes, although a Timed Entry eTicket may be required depending on how busy the park is.

Note that children ages 14 and under are not allowed inside.

Resident Evil Requiem: The Dive

This year, Resident Evil (called Biohazard in Japan) has a completely new attraction based on Resident Evil Requiem.

Rather than watching a show, this is a more immersive, haunted-house-like experience where you enter the abandoned Wrenwood Hotel and make your way through it while creatures appear from all around you. Characters from the game, including Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy, also appear as part of the live-action experience.

This attraction runs from 10 AM until the park closes and requires a Timed Entry eTicket, which you can get through the USJ official app after entering the park. On less crowded days, USJ may allow guests to enter without one. However, when we visited, we arrived at 1:00 PM and the Timed Entry eTickets for this attraction were gone. We applied for a lottery ticket but didn’t get in.

It’s rated R-15, so children ages 14 and under are not allowed inside.

Interestingly, this attraction runs beyond the Halloween season until December 27, 2026.

If you want to be spoiled, here’s what the Resident Evil USJ attraction looks like:

Chainsaw Man / ADO / KING GNU /Sandaime J SOUL Brothers x Hollywood Dream

I absolutely love the Halloween Dream roller coaster, and this year, we’ll have several limited-time ZOMBIE de DANCE songs from past Halloween Horror Nights.

For 2026, you can ride to SO BAD by King Gnu throughout the Halloween season, while two past Zombie de Dance songs are also returning but for the Backdrop version of the ride only: Rat-tat-tat by J SOUL BROTHERS from September 11 to October 10 and Show (唱) by Ado from October 11 to November 8 (my absolute favorite, if there’s any song you should listen to while riding Hollywood Dream backwards, it’s this one).

There’s also a special Chainsaw Man track featuring Kenshi Yonezu’s IRIS OUT from September 11 to November 8, 2026. This is also for the Backdrop version of the ride.

Also, if you want to skip the line (because they are long, ranging from 90 minutes in the morning to over 2 hours after 3 PM, notably longer this year given all four past ZOMBIE de DANCE songs will be available to listen to while riding), I highly recommend purchasing a USJ Express Pass. I mean, I don’t need to buy one because I live in Osaka and go to USJ often, but if you’re visiting from abroad, the last thing you want to do is waste your limited time in lines.

(And I know no one asked, but I kept accidentally typing “Halloween Dream” when writing this; maybe USJ should change the ride name to that?)

KATE PRESENTS Witches of House 18

KATE is a popular makeup brand in Japan, so if you’re not into makeup, I suggest skipping this.

For this attraction, four witches will ask you to make faces expressing four different emotions. Based on this, you will get a special, customized recipe that will help you craft the perfect look using makeup.

It’s not scary whatsoever, but children ages 12 and under are not allowed inside.

For whatever reason, my phone couldn’t read the QR Code, so that ate up a bit of time when I was inside, and I didn’t really like the idea of putting makeup on my face that other people had used (even though we were provided disposable brushes). But it was fun to get recommended colors to use.

This is another attraction that requires a Timed Entry eTicket.

Sadako’s Curse: Dark Horror Ride

Space Fantasy – The Ride has transformed into something more sinister for Halloween, featuring Sadako (who gave me nightmares after I watched The Ring in high school). I like Space Fantasy but you won’t catch me on this version.

The ride takes place almost entirely in darkness as you speed through a facility that has been consumed by Sadako’s curse. If you already find Space Fantasy disorienting when you can see what’s happening, I imagine this version will be considerably more terrifying!

This attraction runs from September 11, 2026, until January 4, 2027. Children ages 12 and under need parental consent.

Street Zombies: When, Where, and How Scary

When the clock strikes six, lights throughout the park dim, and scary zombie sounds and sirens fill the air. This is also when the zombies start to show up.

If you don’t want to encounter these zombies, head to Universal Wonderland. Super Nintendo World is also safe. There are no zombies in the Minions area either but you have to pass by streets infested with zombies to reach that area.

The zombies will never chase after you, and they stay on the streets. In my experience, sometimes they came up to me, and screamed, yelled, or yelped. Sometimes they even ignored me (which I’ll explain later).

This year, the zombie outbreak will start with an infected high school student, whose infection quickly spreads throughout the park until zombies seem to be everywhere. USJ is calling this the largest zombie horde in Halloween Horror Nights history, but honestly, I thought there were fewer zombies than last year.

The zombies also dance, which is my favorite part. They basically stop terrorizing people, and start breaking it down every 30 minutes or so.

This year, Zombie de Dance takes place from 6 PM until the park closes and features King Gnu’s SO BAD. The exact performance times vary, so check the USJ app on the day of your visit.

For the 15th anniversary, the final Zombie de Dance performance of the night includes throwback songs Rat-tat-tat and Ado’s Show alongside SO BAD.

(I’m going to be honest, I’m very happy ADO is making a comeback, even if it’s only for the final performance!)

The zombies in the video above look scarier than they actually are. Here is a video I took to give you an idea of what one of the zombies this year looks like (while dancing):

How to Get a Reaction from the Zombies

One of the best parts about the zombies at Universal Studios Japan is that they will react to a character called HamiKuma.

HamiKuma is a zombie bear with a tragic past. He was a circus performer who was killed, and then possessed by a demon in the underworld. There are different embodiments of HamiKuma as well, such as HamiKuma Soul (white), HamiKuma Candy (pink), and HamiKuma Punk (grey).

If you have HamiKuma merch, such as a stuffie keychain or a headband, and show it to a zombie, the zombie will react to it. Last year, all of the zombies would bow down to HamiKuma. However, this year the rules have changed, and zombies in different areas will vary in their reactions.

For instance, when I showed HamiKuma Candy (the pink bear) to an Execution Enclave zombie, they had no reaction to it. Meanwhile, when I showed it to a Possessed Plaything zombie when they were approaching me, they acknowledged the bear and turned the other way.

I showed the original HamiKuma bear (brown) to a Psycho Circus zombie, who quietly examined it for a moment before screaming angrily at me. They did the same with HamiKuma Soul and Punk, but didn’t scream when they saw HamiKuma Candy.

This year there aren’t specific sections with one particular type of zombie. It’s more of a mix of different zombies all coming together to terrorize guests at USJ. So it’s easier to try to see what kind of reaction each zombie has. (I was wearing a HamiKuma Soul headband and all the zombies ignored me.)

Concerts & Live Entertainment

This year, there is only one live show during the Halloween season at Universal Studios Japan. One is during the day, and the other is at night.

Halloween Horror Nights Academy: 15 Years of Screams

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Halloween Horror Nights, USJ has a new nighttime show at Gramercy Park featuring zombies, HamiKuma, DJ X, and characters from past Halloween Horror Nights events.

The show quickly covers 15 years of Halloween Horror Nights and also brings together some of the most memorable Zombie de Dance songs from over the years, including Rat-tat-tat, Ado’s Show, and King Gnu’s SO BAD. It was really fun to watch, especially seeing the Japanese guests break it down! 

Showtimes vary depending on the day, and USJ recommends checking the schedule about a week before your visit. You don’t need a separate ticket to watch the regular show, although there is a paid special viewing area available.

Halloween Food I’ve Tried at USJ

I love the food at Universal Studios Japan, and their Halloween spread does not fail to impress.

Studio Stars Restaurant always has Halloween food, and you can sit down, so this is a go-to restaurant for me. This year, I tried the Kuromi croissant with roast beef set. It was really good, probably the best thing I’ve had at this restaurant ever!

My sister-in-law picked up this Licker bucket, which has miso-flavored popcorn. I thought the flavor choice was so funny because nomiso is a casual way of saying “brain” in Japanese. 

Although I didn’t try this, I thought I would share that there is Resident Evil food this year at a cart located near Space Fantasy (Sadako): 

The dishes below are from my previous visits, so they aren’t available this year. I just thought I would share them for fun because I love how cute everything was!

Last year, I tried both the Litwick and Pumpkaboo dishes at Studio Stars Restaurant.

The Litwick one, featuring a Salisbury steak with a poached egg on top,  was loads better than the Pumpkaboo burger (I felt it was too sweet), so I recommend getting that.

I also had the HamiKuma Keema Curry while my friend enjoyed the HamiKuma Soul Chicken Cheese Curry.

You can buy these from the following food truck.

We both liked our dishes, and although I was worried the HamiKuma Keema Curry would be a little spicy and bother my daughter, the piece of chocolate helped cut the spice, making it very flavorful and delicious.

We also enjoyed a HamiKuma Candy churro, which was very sweet. If you like candy, this is for you. (I liked the part that wasn’t coated in icing and candy, but of course, my daughter and her friend loved the entire thing.)

Of course, we also picked up the HamiKuma drinks. I’ve tried both HamiKuma Soul’s and HamiKuma’s, and I preferred the taste of the regular HamiKuma cola-based drink, as I found Soul’s vanilla and salt-based one refreshing but a little too sweet.

Lastly, make sure to try the HamiKuma cakes at Beverly Hills Boulangerie! They have two types this year, a strawberry mousse one featuring HamiKuma Candy and the other a bitter chocolate cake featuring HamiKuma.

I didn’t like the fondant icing on the HamiKuma Candy cake and preferred the HamiKuma cake since it was more complex, with cookies, chocolate mousse, and a chocolate tart, as well as raspberry gel-like icing.

Souvenirs & Limited-Edition Merch

Halloween merch at Universal Studios Japan features several popular characters. These can all be found at the Halloween store, located near the Chainsaw Man 4D attraction.

They also have Resident Evil goods (known as Biohazard in Japan). These include T-shirts, hats, stationery, and stuffies.

They also have a souvenir medallion coin in commemoration of Resident Evil’s 30th anniversary, so make sure to pick one up if you’re a fan! These cost 200 yen so make sure you have two 100 yen coins on hand (or more if you want; there are three designs).

There’s also Peanuts Halloween merchandise that features angry-looking Snoopy and Charlie Brown wearing spooky costumes, as well as Sanrio characters in Halloween costumes.

Of course, we can’t forget about HamiKuma goods. These are probably the most popular Halloween souvenirs at Universal Studios Japan, and there’s so much that I wrote an entire article about them, so have a read if you want to know more.

Adult Costume & Makeup Rules

You’re allowed to dress up for Halloween at Universal Studios Japan, but there are quite a few rules about what you can wear.

Costumes and makeup cannot make it difficult for staff to identify you, which means full-face masks, costume masks covering more than half of your face, helmets, full-face paint, and excessively heavy or grotesque makeup aren’t allowed. Costumes that could frighten young children are also prohibited in Universal Wonderland, Minion Park, and the areas surrounding them.

FAQ

Here are some commonly asked questions about Universal Studios Japan during Halloween. For more insider tips on how to enjoy the park, read this article.

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