USJ Seasonal Events: Halloween Horror Nights, Christmas and More

Universal Studios Japan changes character twice a day in autumn. Until late afternoon it is the park most visitors know: Minions, Mario, Hogwarts and long queues in the sunshine. Then the light goes, and from six o’clock the zombies come out. By eight, a large part of the park is a screaming, laughing, sprinting crowd of people being chased across Hollywood and New York, and the families with small children have mostly gone home.

That is USJ Halloween Horror Nights, and it is the reason a lot of Japanese visitors pick an autumn date. It is not the only season worth planning around, though. Christmas brings a night show and a returning light display, New Year’s Eve has a ticketed party that runs through the night, and the anime tie-ins of Universal Cool Japan reshape the park for months at a time. This guide covers what runs when in 2026 and into 2027, what is included in a normal ticket and what costs extra, and which season suits which kind of trip.

The 2026–27 season at a glance

All dates below come from USJ’s own announcements, and USJ reserves the right to change any of them, so check the event page before you book a date around one show.

Event	2026–27 dates	Included in a Studio Pass?
Halloween Horror Nights (street zombies, Zombie de Dance)	11 September – 8 November 2026	Yes
Resident Evil Requiem: The Dive	11 September – 27 December 2026	Yes, but needs a Timed Entry eTicket on busy days
Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation (R-18)	Halloween season	No, separate show ticket
Universal Holiday Wonders (Christmas)	13 November 2026 – 17 January 2027	Yes
Light Up the Night: Christmas Celebration	25 November 2026 – 11 January 2027 (not 31 December)	Yes
NO LIMIT! COUNTDOWN 2027	7pm on 31 December 2026 to 9pm on 1 January 2027	No, separate Party Pass
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Universal Cool Japan)	30 May 2026 – 11 January 2027	Yes, Story Walk needs a Timed Entry eTicket
25th anniversary, Discover U!!!	4 March 2026 – 30 March 2027	Yes

Halloween Horror Nights 2026: what it is

2026 is the fifteenth year of Halloween Horror Nights at USJ, and the event runs from 11 September to 8 November 2026. It sits inside a wider autumn programme the park calls Universal Extreme Autumn, which started a day earlier. The name suggests a separate after-hours event, as it is at the Universal parks in the United States. In Osaka it is not. There is no separate HHN admission ticket: the horror is laid over a normal operating day, and the part most people mean by “Halloween Horror Nights”, the zombies in the streets, is included in an ordinary Studio Pass.

That has a practical consequence. Because everyone with a day ticket can stay for the zombies, the park does not empty at dusk the way it might on a normal autumn evening. Plenty of people arrive in the afternoon specifically for the night, and the evening crowd on a Saturday in October is as thick as the midday crowd. If you want rides, do them in the morning.

By day and after dark

Until 5pm the Halloween season is gentle. Crew run a “Trick or Treat” programme around the park (not in Super Nintendo World or the Wizarding World), and the Minions do a Halloween greeting. The horror attractions in the show buildings open from 10am, so you can do a haunted walk-through in daylight if you would rather not do one at 9pm. The real change comes at 6pm, when the street zombies are released and Zombie de Dance begins.

Not everything is horror. The park’s 25th-anniversary NO LIMIT! Parade still runs in the afternoon through the Halloween season, starting at 1pm until 8 November according to USJ’s parade page (usually 2pm after that), and Super Nintendo World is in the middle of its own fifth-anniversary programme. A family that leaves before dark can have a perfectly normal day.

Street zombies and Zombie de Dance

The street zombies are the heart of the event and, for a first-timer, the most memorable part. From 6pm until the park closes, zombie performers roam most of the park, with some areas left out. They are actors, not animatronics, and they are very good at picking the person in a group who is pretending not to be scared. They do not touch you; they do follow you, lunge, and scream at close range. USJ describes the 2026 horde as the largest in the park’s history, and it comes with a storyline about zombified high-school students.

Zombie de Dance is the other half of the night: a street dance show performed by the zombies in the park. In 2026 it is set to King Gnu’s “SO BAD”, and it runs from 6pm to park closing on every event day. On a sample Friday in mid-October the schedule had performances every 30 minutes from 6:20pm to 9:20pm, followed by a final show at 9:50pm, “Playback Zombie de Dance: HHN 15th Anniversary”, a medley of songs from earlier years. USJ posts the schedule about a week ahead on its show schedule page and in the app.

Also in the evening, on the same sample day, HHN Academy, “15 Years of Screams”, played four times at Gramercy Park. A ticket for its special viewing area costs from ¥2,100 including tax, and the price varies by date.

How scary is it, honestly?

It is loud and relentless rather than gory. Most of the effect comes from being chased and screamed at in a crowd, and many Japanese visitors treat it as a game: groups of friends in matching outfits deliberately walk into the thickest part of the horde. If you hate being startled, it is perfectly possible to keep to the edges, stay near the shops and watch. If you love it, the best of it is in the darker, more open streets late in the evening, after the families have left.

The 2026 horror attractions

The walk-throughs and themed rides are where HHN at USJ leans on its tie-ins. The 2026 line-up, from USJ’s announcement and event pages:

• Resident Evil Requiem: The Dive (Stage 18). Rated R-15, open from 10am to park close, and running longer than the rest of the event, from 11 September to 27 December 2026. It needs a Timed Entry eTicket from the official USJ app on busy days; on quieter days you may be able to walk in.
• Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation (Stage 18). The first R-18 attraction in the event’s history. It needs its own paid show ticket and a signed waiver, nobody aged 17 or under is admitted, bags are not allowed, and you may not share anything about the content afterwards. It is presented in Japanese only, which for most overseas visitors settles the question: unless you follow spoken Japanese well, skip it and spend the money elsewhere.
• Factory of Fear: Zombie Tour (Stage 22), open from 10am.
• Sadako’s Curse Dark Horror Ride, a ride built around the Ringu ghost, which outlasts Halloween: it runs until 4 January 2027.
• KATE Presents Witches of House 18 (Stage 18).
• Chainsaw Man: The Chaos 4-D in the Cinema 4-D Theater.
• Jaws Red Alert, a darker after-sunset version of the boat ride, running from 11 September 2026 to 31 January 2027.
• Jurassic Park The Ride in the Dark, the river ride after nightfall.
• Hollywood Dream The Ride with a Halloween soundtrack, including King Gnu’s “SO BAD” and “IRIS OUT” from Chainsaw Man; Ado’s “Show” is on the list from 11 October to 8 November.

Two of these, the Jaws and Jurassic Park night versions, are ordinary rides in the dark, and the best value of the lot: they are included, they need no extra booking, and they feel properly different after sunset. The walk-throughs are where the queues build. If you only have one evening, pick one walk-through, ride Jaws after dark, and spend the rest of the night in the streets.

Tickets and Express Passes for the Halloween season

Your entry ticket is the ordinary 1-Day or 2-Day Studio Pass, priced by date. October weekends and Japanese holidays sit at the top of the range, and USJ has said that prices may be revised according to demand. Our USJ tickets guide explains the calendar and the safest ways to buy. One note for anyone who already holds a USJ Annual Pass: the Standard pass is excluded on some autumn dates, and USJ runs a half-price Studio Pass offer for holders on those days, with entry from 12 September to 31 December 2026.

The Halloween season has its own Express Passes. In July 2026 USJ announced three Express Pass 4 Halloween Sets, each covering four attractions once, built around Resident Evil, Chainsaw Man and Factory of Fear, from ¥11,800 including tax, with the price varying by date. It said more Halloween-period passes would follow, so check the official ticket page for what is on sale for your date. Our USJ Express Pass guide explains how the passes work in general.

Is an Express Pass worth it in October? More so than at most times of year. The rides are busy all day, the evening crowd does not thin out, and every hour you spend in a queue at night is an hour of the event you are not seeing. If you were going to buy one at all, buy it for a Halloween date. If you were not, you can still have a very good evening on a Studio Pass alone: the zombies, Zombie de Dance and the after-dark rides cost nothing extra.

Super Nintendo World can still run controlled entry on busy Halloween-season days, so if Mario is on your list, sort out an Area Timed Entry Ticket or an Express Pass that includes it before you arrive; our Super Nintendo World guide has the details.

Is Halloween Horror Nights suitable for children?

USJ’s own guidance is that the event is not recommended for children aged five or under, and that children aged 12 or under need a parent’s consent. The ratings on individual attractions are firmer: Resident Evil Requiem: The Dive is R-15, and Lights Out admits nobody under 18.

In practice, plenty of Japanese families visit during the season and simply go home, or retreat to Universal Wonderland, before 6pm. That is a sensible plan with young children: the Trick or Treat programme and the Minion greeting are pitched at them, and the daytime park is no scarier than usual. One detail in USJ’s costume rules shows how the park thinks about this: zombie and ghost costumes that hide the face are banned in and near Universal Wonderland and Minion Park, the two areas aimed at small children. For a full day with little ones, see our USJ with kids guide.

Teenagers are a different question. Most of them will love the zombies, and the R-15 Resident Evil walk-through is the natural limit.

Costumes: what adults can and cannot wear

Dressing up is a big part of the Halloween season at USJ, and you will see groups of adults in coordinated outfits all day. Costumes are allowed, within rules that USJ publishes on its costume page (in Japanese) and applies through its crew. The banned list includes:

• face paint or special-effects make-up covering the whole face, and full-face masks;
• masks covering more than half the face, except medical masks;
• helmets;
• anything that drags on the ground;
• costumes or make-up the crew judge excessively grotesque, and anything indecent;
• anything that could injure someone else, or rub off on them;
• in and near Universal Wonderland and Minion Park, zombie or ghost looks that hide the face.

The crew have the final say, and the rules allow them to refuse entry, ask you to remove part of a costume, or turn you away from an attraction. Our advice is to keep it simple: a themed outfit with a visible face and nothing you would have to take off for a ride. If you are packing a costume for the trip, our what to pack for Osaka list has the autumn basics too.

Christmas 2026: Universal Holiday Wonders

The Christmas season at USJ in 2026 is called Universal Holiday Wonders, and it runs from 13 November 2026 to 17 January 2027, carrying on well past Christmas Day. It is a much softer event than Halloween: the theme is lights, music and food, and it is the season to pick if you are visiting with children or simply want the park at its prettiest after dark.

• Light Up the Night: Christmas Celebration. The headline night show, at Gramercy Park in the New York area, from 25 November 2026 to 11 January 2027, except 31 December. It lasts about 30 minutes, and the number of shows and their times vary by day, so check the show schedule for your date.
• Joy of Lights. A message-and-light show on Gramercy Park’s screen, about ten minutes long, back for the first time in nine years, on the same dates as Light Up the Night.
• Universal Food Festival, 13 November to 17 January.
• Hogwarts Magical Night ~Winter Magic~, 13 November to 17 January, the castle’s evening light show in its winter version; see our Harry Potter at USJ guide for the area itself.

Two things to know before you book. First, WaterWorld, the stunt show, is closed from 28 November to 27 December 2026, so if it is on your list, go before or after. Second, USJ’s Holiday Kids Free Pass, which lets one child aged 4 to 11 in free with an adult, is sold to Japan residents only, so most overseas visitors cannot use it.

Christmas evenings are cold by the bay, and the night show is outdoors, so dress for standing still. For the rest of the city’s festive lights, see our Osaka illuminations guide and Christmas and New Year in Osaka.

New Year’s Eve: NO LIMIT! COUNTDOWN 2027

On 31 December the park runs a countdown party that is a separate event with its own ticket. NO LIMIT! COUNTDOWN 2027 runs from 7pm on 31 December 2026 to 9pm on 1 January 2027, up to 26 hours, and you need a Party Pass to get in; an ordinary Studio Pass will not do. The programme has a Special Stage at Gramercy Park from 7:05pm to 0:20am and a Countdown Moment from 11:50pm to 0:05am, with about 5,000 fireworks.

Party Pass sales opened on 7 October 2026. Check the price and availability on USJ’s countdown page; it is a popular night and the passes are limited. Is it worth it? For a group of friends who want a New Year’s Eve to remember and have the stamina for an all-nighter, yes. For anyone else, especially with children, New Year’s Day itself at the park, or a quieter countdown at a shrine in the city, is the better choice.

Universal Cool Japan and the rest of the year

Universal Cool Japan is USJ’s anime and gaming season, and its line-up changes from year to year. In 2026 most of it has already finished: Detective Conan World and the Conan mystery show ran until 30 June, Jujutsu Kaisen until 18 August, and Monster Hunter until 17 May. The one part still running is Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, with a Story Walk, from 30 May 2026 to 11 January 2027. The Story Walk needs a Timed Entry eTicket from the app. If you are a fan of the series, you can combine it with Halloween or Christmas before it ends in January. For the anime side of Osaka beyond the park, see our anime and pop culture guide.

Several other programmes overlap the seasonal events in autumn 2026:

• The 25th anniversary, Discover U!!!, runs until 30 March 2027. Its NO LIMIT! Parade, about 40 minutes long, runs until 11 January 2027, moving from 1pm to 2pm from 9 November (a few dates differ).
• ONE PIECE Premier Summer 2026, with its Premier Show at the WaterWorld stadium, runs until 19 November 2026.
• Super Nintendo World’s fifth anniversary runs until 11 January 2027, with a Yoshi meet-and-greet and a Power-Up Band key challenge.

Summer has its own pattern. In 2026 it was Universal Summer Matsuri Night, from 1 July to 26 August, an evening festival with neon, music and soakings, when the park stayed open to 9pm. Summer events at USJ are built around getting wet, so bring a change of clothes. They are fun, but Osaka in August is hot and humid; our Osaka in summer page explains what that means for a park day. For spring, check USJ’s events page when you plan: the line-up is announced season by season.

One closure to plan around: USJ’s attraction closures page lists Space Fantasy – The Ride (whose building is used for Sadako’s Curse this season) as closed indefinitely since June 2025, and Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic and Shrek’s 4-D Adventure as closed since January 2026. Check that page for your date before you build a day around a ride.

Getting home after the zombies

Universal City Station on the JR Yumesaki line is right outside the park, and trains run late. On a sample Friday in mid-October 2026 the last departures towards Nishikujo, where you change for Osaka Station, left at 10:58pm, 11:12pm, 11:37pm and, the very last, 0:02am. Timetables differ by day, so check JR West’s timetable for your date, and don’t plan to make the last train if the park closes late and you still want to shop.

Park opening and closing times change through the season, so take them from the hours calendar on the official site or in the app for your date. The queues for the station at closing time are long but move quickly, and staying for a meal at CityWalk while they clear is a good alternative. If you would rather walk to bed, a hotel next to the park is the answer: see our hotels near USJ guide. For the trip there and back in general, our Osaka Bay Area guide covers the neighbourhood.

Which season should you choose?

• Adults and teenagers who want something you cannot get anywhere else in Japan: Halloween Horror Nights, on a weekday if you can, with an Express Pass if the budget allows. Arrive early, ride in the morning, and save the evening for the streets.
• Families with children under about ten: Christmas. The night shows are gentle, the lights are lovely, and the early shows suit small children’s bedtimes. If your dates fall in the Halloween season, go home or into Universal Wonderland by 6pm.
• Anime fans: whichever season overlaps the Universal Cool Japan title you care about. In 2026 that means Frieren, until 11 January 2027.
• Anyone who hates crowds: none of them, honestly. The evening events give people a reason to arrive late and stay late, so the park rarely thins out at dusk the way it otherwise might.

For what else is on in the city in the same weeks, our Osaka in autumn and Osaka in winter guides cover the season, and the Osaka festival calendar has the year’s dates.

USJ Halloween Horror Nights FAQ

When does USJ Halloween Horror Nights 2026 end?

The main event, including the street zombies and Zombie de Dance, runs from 11 September to 8 November 2026. Some attractions run longer: Resident Evil Requiem: The Dive until 27 December 2026, Sadako’s Curse until 4 January 2027 and Jaws Red Alert until 31 January 2027. USJ can change the dates, so check its event page.

Are the zombies included with a normal Studio Pass?

Yes. The street zombies, Zombie de Dance and the after-dark versions of Jaws and Jurassic Park are included. Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation needs its own paid ticket, the HHN Academy show’s special viewing area costs extra, and Express Passes are extra too.

Is Halloween Horror Nights suitable for children?

USJ does not recommend it for children aged five or under, and children aged 12 or under need a parent’s consent. The daytime Halloween programme is family-friendly; the zombies come out at 6pm.

Can adults wear costumes at USJ?

Yes, within the park’s rules. Full-face masks and make-up, masks covering more than half the face, helmets, anything that trails on the ground and anything excessively grotesque are banned, and crew can refuse entry or ask you to change.

When does Christmas start at USJ?

Universal Holiday Wonders runs from 13 November 2026 to 17 January 2027. The Light Up the Night show runs from 25 November to 11 January, except on 31 December.

Does USJ hold a New Year countdown?

Yes. NO LIMIT! COUNTDOWN 2027 runs from 7pm on 31 December 2026 to 9pm on 1 January 2027, with fireworks at midnight. It needs a separate Party Pass, not a Studio Pass.

Plan the rest of your USJ trip

Our main Universal Studios Japan guide covers the whole park, with tickets, the Express Pass, Super Nintendo World and the Wizarding World in their own guides. When you need feeding after a late night at the park, our late-night food guide has what is still open back in town.

Photo Credits

Daytime parade: Universal Studios Japan parade 1 by Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Minion Park at night: Minion Park at night by Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Hogwarts at dusk: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey by night USJ by Freddo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Christmas tree: USJ Christmas tree 2016y by Rebirth10, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.