Harry Potter Studio Tour Tokyo With Kids

We’ve done the London version. Twice, actually. So when Warner Bros. opened a second Studio Tour in Tokyo, the question wasn’t should we go. It was whether it could possibly live up to Leavesden. Spoiler: it does. In some ways, it’s even better.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo — The Making of Harry Potter opened in June 2023 in the Nerima ward, on the old Toshimaen amusement park site. Same concept as its London sibling. You walk through real sets, see actual props and costumes, learn how the films were made. But this one has Tokyo-exclusive areas, a larger outdoor backlot section, and that particular Japanese attention to detail that somehow makes everything feel a notch more polished.

If you’re planning a family trip to Japan, this deserves a spot on your itinerary. Even if your kids have already done the London tour. Ours had, and they were still buzzing for days afterwards.

Getting There

The studio is right next to Toshimaen Station, which sits on both the Seibu Ikebukuro Line and the Toei Oedo Line. From Shinjuku, you’re looking at roughly 30 minutes. From Ikebukuro, even less — about 20 minutes on the Seibu line. Dead simple.

When you come out of the station, signage points you straight there. You can’t really get lost. The building itself is enormous and visible almost immediately. Allow an extra 15 minutes for the walk from the station and getting through the entrance, particularly if you’re arriving at a popular time slot.

Tickets: Book Early or Miss Out

This is non-negotiable. You must book tickets in advance. They use timed entry, and popular slots sell out weeks — sometimes a full month — ahead. We booked ours three weeks before our trip and the morning slots had already gone. Weekend availability is especially tight.

Current pricing:

• Adults (12+): ¥6,300 (~£33)
• Children (4–11): ¥3,800 (~£20)
• Under 4: Free

For a family of four with two school-age children, you’re spending roughly ¥20,200 (~£106) just on entry. Not cheap. But compared to theme parks like Universal Studios Japan, where you can easily burn through twice that before lunch, it feels more reasonable.

Don’t be late for your timed entry. They won’t let you in if you miss your slot. We arrived 20 minutes early and there was already a queue forming. Once you’re inside, though, there’s no time limit. Stay as long as you like.

How It Compares to the London Version

Different enough to justify doing both. That’s the short answer.

The Tokyo studio is larger in several areas. The outdoor backlot section — featuring Privet Drive, the Hogwarts Bridge, and the Knight Bus — is more expansive than London’s. There are also Tokyo-exclusive sets and displays that you won’t find at Leavesden. The Forest of Dean. A larger Forbidden Forest section. Some of the interactive elements feel more refined too.

The Great Hall is present in both, and it’s still breathtaking. Walking through those doors never gets old, even the second time around. Our eldest, who considered herself too cool for all this at age ten, went completely silent when we stepped inside. That silence told us everything.

If you’ve never done either version, the Tokyo one is a brilliant introduction. If you’ve done London and you’re wondering whether Tokyo adds anything — yes. Plenty. The differences are meaningful, not cosmetic.

What the Kids Loved

Everything. But if I had to pick the highlights that had them practically vibrating with excitement:

The Great Hall. As mentioned. The long tables, the floating candles overhead, the professor’s podium at the end. Our youngest walked in and whispered “Mum, we’re actually at Hogwarts.” Proper goosebumps moment.

Diagon Alley. Wandering past Ollivanders, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, the shopfronts all lit up. It feels remarkably real. The detail in every window display kept the kids pointing and exclaiming for ages. We could have stayed there for an hour.

The broomstick green screen experience. You sit on a broomstick in front of a green screen and they film you flying over London and Hogwarts. The kids adored watching themselves on screen swooping through the sky. They sell the photos and videos afterwards. We bought them. Of course we did.

Platform 9¾. The Hogwarts Express is there, gleaming, and you can push a luggage trolley through the wall for photos. Classic. Every child in the building wanted this shot, so expect a bit of a wait.

The Dark Arts section. A creepy walk through darker elements of the films — dementors, Death Eaters, Voldemort’s lair. Our eight-year-old thought it was thrilling. Our six-year-old held my hand a bit tighter but didn’t want to leave. It’s atmospheric rather than truly scary, though very sensitive little ones might need a cuddle.

Butterbeer. No Potter experience is complete without it. Priced at ¥700 (~£3.70) per cup, available hot, cold, or frozen. Still that same sweet, butterscotch-esque flavour. Still wildly popular with children. Still leaves a foam moustache.

Interactive Wands

These cost ¥5,500 (~£29) each and let your child cast spells at designated spots throughout the tour. Wave the wand in the right pattern, and things happen — water flows, lights flicker, objects move. There are multiple spell-casting stations dotted around, particularly in Diagon Alley.

Are they a gimmick? A bit. Are they worth it? For proper Harry Potter fans, absolutely. Our daughter spent a solid 40 minutes finding every single spell location and perfecting her technique. That’s 40 minutes of entertainment from one purchase, which by theme park standards is excellent value.

If you’ve got multiple children, you could get away with buying one wand and sharing. Ours took turns and it caused surprisingly few arguments. Your mileage may vary on that front.

The Wand Duelling Experience

Separate from the interactive wands. This is a guided activity where kids learn specific wand movements and face off against each other. Supervised and structured, good fun, and the staff running it are enthusiastic. Check times when you arrive — sessions run throughout the day but not continuously.

How Long to Spend

Allow 3 to 4 hours minimum. We spent closer to 5 and could have lingered longer if the gift shop hadn’t drained what remained of our energy (and our wallets).

The tour is self-paced, which is a huge advantage with children. No one is rushing you through. If your kid wants to spend 20 minutes examining every wand in Ollivanders’ display, they can. If you need to sit down and have a butterbeer, fine. That flexibility makes it far less stressful than a theme park day.

There’s a natural break point roughly halfway through where the outdoor backlot section and the Butterbeer Bar are located. Good spot to rest legs and refuel before tackling the second half.

Best Age for the Studio Tour

Six and up is the sweet spot. At that age, most children who’ve watched the films (or had them read to them) will recognise the sets, understand the connections, and get genuinely excited about seeing it all in person.

Under 6? They’ll still enjoy walking through the sets because everything looks impressive. Big rooms. Shiny things. Costumes. But the magic of recognising Dumbledore’s office or understanding why the Marauder’s Map matters — that’s lost on them. Our friend brought her three-year-old. He liked the butterbeer. That was about it.

Teenagers and tweens who are deep into the books and films will get the most out of it. The behind-the-scenes filmmaking content — practical effects, creature design, model-making — is fascinating for older kids. Our ten-year-old was captivated by the animatronics workshop section.

Food Inside the Studio

There’s a Food Hall and the Butterbeer Bar, both located in the outdoor backlot area at the midpoint of the tour. You can’t leave and re-enter, so this is your only eating option once inside.

The food is themed and reasonably decent by attraction standards. Shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, that sort of thing. British-style comfort food with a Potter twist. Not fine dining, but filling enough.

Budget roughly ¥2,000–3,000 (~£10–16) per person for food. Children’s portions exist but they’re still priced at tourist-attraction levels. We had lunch for four and it came to about ¥9,000 (~£47). Grimaced slightly, ate it anyway.

If you want to save money, eat before you arrive. The Nerima area around the station has plenty of restaurants, and you’ll find a few convenience stores nearby too. A konbini onigiri costs ¥150 versus a themed meal at ten times that. Just saying.

The Gift Shop: A Warning

Massive. Overwhelming. Strategically placed right at the end of the tour when your children are at peak excitement and you are at peak exhaustion. A dangerous combination.

Robes, wands, sweets, Chocolate Frogs, house scarves, keyrings, plush owls, replica props — all of it branded, all of it gorgeously displayed, none of it remotely cheap. A Hogwarts robe will set you back ¥12,000+ (~£63). A boxed character wand costs ¥5,500 (~£29). Even the small souvenirs start at ¥1,000 (~£5).

Our hard-won advice: set a budget per child before you walk in. Tell them the number. Let them choose how to spend it. This avoids the meltdown of wanting fifteen things and being told no to each one individually. A blanket “you’ve got ¥3,000 to spend on whatever you want” gives them agency and saves you from being the villain in every aisle.

Practical Bits

Lockers. Available near the entrance. Handy if you’re carrying bags from earlier sightseeing. Use them — you’ll be walking for hours and don’t want to lug shopping bags through the tour.

Strollers. Allowed inside, which is a relief if you’ve got a younger sibling tagging along. The tour is fully accessible and flat throughout.

Toilets. Clean, well-maintained, available at several points through the tour. Japan being Japan, they’re spotless.

Photography. Allowed everywhere except a couple of specific spots which are clearly signed. Take loads. The lighting in many of the set areas is designed to look good in photos.

Language. Displays and signage are in both Japanese and English. Audio guides are available in English too. You won’t struggle.

Our Verdict

We walked in expecting a slightly different version of what we’d seen in London. We walked out thinking it might actually be the better of the two. Bigger in places, more refined in others, and that Tokyo polish running through everything.

For families who are already planning time in Tokyo, it’s a brilliant half-day out. Less chaotic than a theme park, more engaging than a museum, and genuinely magical for children who love the books and films. It’s pricey — a family of four will spend ¥25,000–35,000 (~£130–185) including tickets, food, and a modest amount of gift shop restraint — but it’s one of those experiences the kids will remember.

Book your tickets early. Arrive on time. Set a gift shop budget. And let yourself enjoy watching your children walk into the Great Hall for the first time.

If you’re sorting out the rest of your Tokyo trip, our guide to where to stay in Tokyo with kids covers the best areas and hotels for families. And for the bigger picture, our Japan family travel guide has everything else you’ll need.