Japan’s theme park sector extends well beyond a single destination, combining long-established resorts with newer character-driven attractions and major expansion plans. After welcoming a record 42.7 million international visitors in 2025, the country continues to draw travellers to parks in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyushu and other regions.
Universal Studios Japan in Osaka opened in 2001 with lands based on Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and Minions. It became the first Universal park to open Super Nintendo World in 2021 and added the world’s first Donkey Kong Country area in 2024. The park also hosts limited-time collaborations with franchises including Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Pokémon, One Piece and Resident Evil. In 2026, it announced its first expansion since 2001, with plans to invest up to 300 billion yen in new attractions across 60,000 square metres of nearby land.
Tokyo Disneyland opened on 15 April 1983 as the first Disney park outside the United States. Along with Tokyo DisneySea, which opened in 2001 and spans 49 hectares, it is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company under licence from The Walt Disney Company. In 2024, Tokyo DisneySea opened Fantasy Springs, a $2.2 billion expansion inspired by Frozen, Tangled and Peter Pan. Tokyo Disneyland has announced Space Mountain Earthrise and Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue as part of a 100 billion yen ($630 million) Tomorrowland transformation, with the new Space Mountain set to replace the original coaster in 2027.
Ghibli Park, located within the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, brings Studio Ghibli films to life across five themed areas. It opened in November 2022 and completed its five areas with Mononoke Village in November 2023 and Valley of Witches in March 2024. Highlights include a large-scale Howl’s Moving Castle recreation and Catbus electric vehicles. In 2026, it announced plans for a new indoor area inspired by Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
Sanrio Puroland in Tokyo opened in 1990 and features Hello Kitty, My Melody and Cinnamoroll through character greetings, parades, shows and rides. Fuji-Q Highland, opened in 1968 near Mount Fuji, is known for record-breaking coasters including Fujiyama, Eejanaika and Takabisha. Nagashima Spa Land, opened in 1966 near Nagoya, has 13 operating coasters, more than any other Japanese amusement park, including Steel Dragon 2000.
Huis Ten Bosch, opened in 1992 in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, recreates a European-style Dutch town and is Japan’s largest theme park by area at about 152 hectares. In 2025, it opened Japan’s first premium flying theatre with Brogent Technologies, featuring an 8K LED dome screen. Legoland Japan opened in Nagoya in 2017 and includes Miniland Japan, built with more than 10 million Lego bricks.
PokéPark Kanto, the world’s first permanent outdoor Pokémon attraction, opened in February 2026 at Yomiuriland in Tokyo. The 26,000-square-metre park has more than 600 Pokémon across Pokémon Forest and Sedge Town, plus a parade and two attractions, Pika Pika Paradise and Vee Vee Voyage. Yomiuriland itself has more than 40 rides and attractions, including the Bandit coaster, and welcomed around 2.4 million visitors in 2024.
Other notable parks include Moominvalley Park in Saitama, which recreates the Moomin world and opened in 2019; Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura, a 49.5-hectare cultural park recreating the Edo period; and Asakusa Hanayashiki, considered Japan’s oldest amusement park, dating to 1853. Smaller family attractions include Sylvanian Park in Ibaraki, while Kyushu offers Greenland in Kumamoto with around 80 attractions and Sanrio Harmonyland in Oita. Hirakata Park, Osaka’s oldest amusement park, dates to 1910 and attracts around 1.3 million visitors a year.