It may come as a shock to find out that when you attempt to buy the Universal Studios Japan (USJ) Express Tickets or VIP Passes you want for your vacation, they are already sold-out.

It’s a firm fact that you really do need to plan in advance for the purchase of your USJ Express tickets or you may miss out – but there are some last minute ticket sales websites you can try too!

Join our USJ Facebook planning group

In my Universal Studios Japan Facebook Group planning posts and reminders are regularly published during the weeks leading up to each notified ticket release date. This helps over 60,000 group members to prepare for their Japan trip – and learn how to successfully obtain their Universal Japan Express Tickets.

When are Universal Studios Japan tickets released?

Universal Studios Japan usually release their theme park tickets in one-month blocks, two months prior to the month you want to attend. Any ticket release updates for each month are usually announced a few weeks prior on Klook here.

How will 2025 USJ tickets be released now?

Ticket sales were temporarily being released on a 93-day prior, day-by-day schedule from 26 April. They have now returned to the standard two months, one day prior to the use date, selling one day at a time.

Usual release times are currently at 12 midnight, Japan time.

Release Date announcements are usually published prior on on Klook here.

So what time is 12:00 midnight Japan in Australia?

Can I still buy tickets at USJ on the day?

In another recent announcement Universal Studios Japan released a media statement stating that tickets will no longer be sold from ticket booths at the entrance of the Universal Studios Japan commencing from May 6, 2025 onwards.

This excludes disabled ticket purchasers. You can read more about Universal Studios Disability Passes here.

What tickets do I need to get into Universal Studios Japan?

At a minimum, in order to gain entry into Universal Studios Japan you must hold:

A Universal Studios Japan Studio Pass

What is a Universal Studios Japan Studio Pass?

This pass gives you the right to enter USJ, and also to line up for rides. It is usually easy to buy one of these anytime leading up to your visit.

Does a Universal Studios Japan Studio Pass get me into Super Nintendo World?

Not normally, no. You will still need to purchase a guaranteed timed entry ticket or try for a free timed entry to get inside Super Nintendo World (SNW) to line up for rides there, or an Express Pass to skip the ride queues (SNW ride queues are usually around 2 hours each).

If you don’t mind queuing for rides and for tecniques in getting into Super Nintendo World, read my tips and tricks on how to get into Super Nintendo for no extra charge beginners guide here.

Do I need Universal Studios Japan Express Passes?

To fit in more rides on the day of visit and use time more effectively, most visiting tourists also purchase a:

Universal Studios Japan Express Pass

in addition to their Studio Pass.

What is a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass?

Universal Studios Japan Express Passes usually list 4 or 7 rides, and allow the holder to skip several popular USJ park ride queues (once each),

Alternatively, they may be combined in a package, or they may give the holder guaranteed entry into Super Nintendo World inside USJ. These SNW Express Passes may also list selected SNW rides to skip those ride queues inside.

Do I still need to purchase a Studio Pass if I have an Express Pass?

Yes. Unless you have bought a combined package (which clearly states you are buying both passes at once).

Should I purchase my Studio Passes or Express Passes first?

Whilst USJ Studio Passes are usually easy to buy on any date after their date’s ticket release day, Universal Studios Japan Express Tickets are in very heavy demand, with 7 ride Express Passes selling out the almost immediately.

Therefore, it’s usually best to purchase your Express Passes first so that if you are unable to secure an Express Pass for your desired date, you still have the flexibility of changing your dates to one which you can possibly get an Express Pass for.

How can I maximise my chances of successfully getting the Express tickets I need on release day?

As mentioned, USJ Express Tickets usually release one day at a time two months a day prior to the valid ticket date. Unfortunately it’s rarely a straightforward process.

Some Express Passes are released hours or days – even weeks – later for the entire month. And there’s usually no way of knowing when they are suddenly going to become available.

For example, during the month of February 2025 for April 2025, Super Nintendo World Express Passes released a couple of days after the official ticket release date. There was an announcement just prior to ticket release day.

For the month of May, everything was released together with just a few Express 7 released mid-March – without any announcement.

Now it seems things have stabilised somewhat with the day by day ticket releases – at least, we hope so!

One thing is for certain –
If you see the exact Express Passes you want, it would be wise to purchase them immediately at that time rather than wait. Prices don’t vary throughout the weeks or months, except from website to website, so there is usually no benefit to delay.

Where should I buy my online USJ Express Passes from?

You can choose to buy your online USJ tickets from the authorised USJ website reseller JTRWeb LTD, or other authorised reseller websites that work well with international credit cards, such as Klook, Trip.com and KKDay.

What are some problems which can happen when purchasing USJ Express Passes?

The Universal Studios Japan official website in both English and Japanese can be problematic for overseas purchasers. It regularly rejects international credit cards, despite confirmation codes and international purchasers frantic phone calls to their bank, who assure them all should be fine.

Why are all my credit cards rejected by Universal Studios Japan?

The problem is usually that international credit cards usually don’t recognise or use the Japanese 3D security layer on their credit card system.

Which credit card works best on The Universal Studios Japan tickets website?

The credit card reported with most success in our USJ planning Facebook Group is the American Express (Amex) credit card. International money cards like Wise cards also work well. You can get a free Wise card here. No cards are guaranteed to work.

Get your free Wise travel money card!

Take advantage of our free Wise travel money card offer to save the AUD$10 card fee here.

Get your free Wise Card

Which credit cards don’t work on the USJ website?

Credit cards which are usually rejected include most others. including Visa and Mastercard, despite the size of the bank. Sometimes they will work. Other times they mysteriously work for one type of purchase – then don’t! It’s trial and error.

Don’t get caught out on your ticket release day

For many people, by the time they have tried to work out a credit card rejection resolution using the USJ sales website on ticket release day their desired tickets have sold out on Klook, or other third party ticket sellers.

What are some other problems that can occur on the USJ ticket seller websites?

When tickets were released month by month there were numerous problems across all the seller websites. The USJ website crashed frequently. KKDay and Klook releases were often delayed, and both sellers cancelled tickets due to overselling when too many people overran the system. Funds were usually refunded within a day or two. (despite a 2 week notification).

How do I know my ticket won’t be canceled after purchase?

Thankfully now that tickets are releasing day by day there seems to have been no recent cancellations. If you have received your Klook or KKDay confirmation email with voucher attached, or you can find your voucher under bookings in the Klook App, your tickets are secure and shouldn’t be cancelled.

Which website and/or strategies increase my chances of successfully getting my preferred USJ tickets?

The most important piece of advice I can give you, is that no matter how you intend to buy your USJ theme park tickets, be ready to purchase right at the officially announced release date and time – because your preferred tickets can sell out almost immediately!

Take the day off work, stay up into the wee hours of the night – whatever it takes to be ready to buy those tickets! But don’t assume your dedication will get the tickets you want – it just gives you the best chance.

I always recommend trying to buy your USJ Studio Pass tickets from Klook first. 

I partner with Klook, KKDay and Trip. com who all accept international credit cards readily, however I recommend Klook for Studio Passes as there have been numerous Facebook Group member complaints regarding wrong dates being issued due to selecting the Letter System first being the format for date choice on the USJ websites. This causes some mix ups.

Be flexible with your dates

Many people find they may need to compromise and buy a different theme park attendance date, if their desired date has quickly sold out of Express or VIP Passes. This is another reason why you should always buy your Express Passes first!

Consider using more than one device on your ticket release day

Some people use multiple devices to log in to multiple official ticket sellers – or the same one – in an attempt to increase their ticket chances.

Here is a list of official Universal Studios online ticket third party sellers who I partner with:

 Klook

Trip.com

KKDay 

Here are my direct Universal Studios online tickets Klook partner links:

Buy your Universal Studios Japan entrance tickets online at Klook here

Buy Express Tickets & Super Nintendo World entry on Klook here

What do I do if I have missed my desired Express Ticket release day?

If you have missed out on your desired Express Pass ticket release dates and they appear to be sold out there are some last minute alternatives!

Can I buy a USJ tickets from Lawsons?

Yes, you can buy USJ tickets from Lawsons convenience store machines in Japan if you can understand Japanese or know someone who does and can help you to buy them there. There are some conditions attached which you should check carefully before purchase.

Are there any last last-minute USJ online ticket websites?

Yes. I would still recommend trying Klook and KKDay, however your best chance is to check availability from more expensive last minute websites like Trip.com here.

Alternatively, consider buying a USJ VIP pass instead.

How do I get Universal Studios Japan VIP Tickets?

Some USJ VIP passes may be released on the official ticket release dates like Klook, while selected others may become available in the weeks following. These are easier to obtain than Express Passes, because they are more expensive, and so in less demand. (They can be randomly released and do quickly sell out on Klook)

What are USJ VIP Tours?

VIP tours cost more than Express Passes. They have a special entry area into the park and get special privileges, like being escorted to the head of ride lines. You can read all about USJ VIP Passes in our guide here.

Where can I buy USJ VIP tickets?

The USJ website and these official USJ ticket sellers who I partner with often have an assortment of VIP tours available:

What’s the cheapest airline to get from Australia to Japan?

We partnered with Jetstar Australia to fly from Australia to Japan. Jetstar Australia offer cheap fares to Japan every day – check their website for their low Tokyo and Osaka fares and frequent sales!

Check Jetstar’s cheap Japan flights here

Universal Studios Japan Facebook Group

Join our Tokyo Disney Facebook Group! Love all things Universal Studios Japan, or just have more questions? Join our huge Universal Studios Japan Facebook Group here!

You may also be interested in these other Universal Studios Japan vacation planning articles…

• Super Nintendo World for no extra charge beginner’s guide
• Universal Studios Japan beginner’s ticket guide
• The Top 7 hotels near Universal Studios Japan
• Disability Beginner’s Guide for Universal Studios Japan

If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider sharing it – we’d also love to hear about your own USJ experiences in the comments below!

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