When they announced that the Universal Studios Japan will open the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I was so excited. So when it opened almost two years ago, I immediately booked my flight to Osaka and went there on its second day of opening. Luckily, it was a long weekend with Monday as a holiday.

Date: July 16, 2014

The USJ opens at 9 AM, so I was already there as early as 6:30 AM. It was the second day that the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been opened to the public, so there was already a long line of people wanted to see it. When they opened the gate, the people started to run to reach the Hogwarts.

I need first to get another ticket inside to have a scheduled entry at the Harry Potter area. While waiting for my time, I went first to the other parts of USJ.

Upon entry to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Hogwarts Express is just right at the corner with the Hogsmeade Station. The Hogsmeade Village where the wizards reside was recreated at the park with specialty shops like Honeydukes, Zonko’s Joke Shop, Dervish and Banges and Ollivanders.

The famous Chocolate Frogs, seen at the first Harry Potter movie being bought by Harry at the train, can be bought at Honeydukes. Dervish and Banges offers Quidditch paraphernalias and Hogwarts school uniforms.

The most interesting shop, though is the Ollivanders. There are many wands to choose from inside the store including those of various characters from the film. And guess which one did I buy? I bought the wand of Albus Dumbledore known as the Elder Wand. It is said to be the most powerful wand that has ever existed and one of the fabled Deathly Hallows.

In the middle of the village is a stall selling the popular drink in the wizard world, the Butterbeer. It is not an alcoholic drink but a sweet creamy soda. At a cost 1,100 yen, the Butterbeer mug is a souvenir to keep. And of course, I bought one.

There is also the Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods where the so-called collection of confiscated goods by caretaker Argus Filch are being sold. Meals are being served at the restaurant called Three Broomsticks. Although I have wante to take my lunch there, the queue was so long so I decided to eat somewhere else in USJ.

Next is the most conspicuous structure in the park, the Hogwarts Castle. It contains the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride. The queue is quite long and it took me almost 3 hours until it was my turn to try the amazing ride.

Lining up is not so boring though, as the interior of the castle is a feast to the eyes. There are many framed pictures on the walls and similar to the film, some of them are moving. As for the ride, it was quite long and truly awesome which takes you in a Quidditch game and meet some of the monsters in Harry Potter’s world. The ride uses state-of-the-art 4K technology in 3D. It was a very thrilling ride.

Another ride at the park is the Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster. It was a simple roller coaster with straw-covered cars shaped like a Hippogriff. A hippogriff is a magical creature having the front quarters of an eagle and the hindquarters of a horse. In the story, Rubeus Hagrid once petted a hippogriff named Buckbeak. It was sentenced to death because it attacked Draco Malfoy when the later taunted and provoked the being. Harry and his friends helped the animal escape though and was taken care by Sirius Black.

Aside from the rides and shops, there were also street performances from the choir of Hogwarts students with their croaking frogs and a procession of students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang for the Triwizard Tournament.

It was nice to say that I am one of the people who visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Osaka on its first days.