15 Years of Halloween Horror at USJ
Universal Studios Japan celebrates 15 years of Halloween Horror Nights with its biggest zombie horde yet, extreme new horror experiences and terrifying twists on some of the park’s biggest attractions.
When the sun sets at Universal Studios Japan this fall, the park transforms into a sprawling horror playground of roaming zombies, dark attractions and scream-filled streets. Halloween Horror Nights marks its 15th anniversary in 2026, and USJ is pushing the nighttime experience harder than ever. From September 11 through November 8, the park unleashes its largest Street Zombies horde yet, with the infection spreading across familiar areas of the park from 18:00 until closing.
The 2026 lineup mixes returning horror favorites with some genuinely new nightmares. Resident Evil is back, while Sadako’s Curse: Dark Horror Ride once again plunges riders into cursed darkness. Chainsaw Man: The Chaos 4-Dbrings the anime’s world into a full sensory attraction, while Hollywood Dream gets Halloween collaborations featuring Kenshi Yonezu’s “IRIS OUT,” King Gnu’s “SO BAD” and Ado’s “Show.”
Then there’s the year’s most extreme addition: Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation, the first R-18 attraction in Halloween Horror Nights history. Guests must be 18 or older, purchase a separate ticket and sign a waiver before entering an experience built around isolation, darkness and psychological fear.
Out on the streets, the scale gets bigger too. A new high-school zombie triggers an expanding infection that produces the largest zombie horde in Halloween Horror Nights history, overrunning streets and familiar park scenery. The chaos eventually turns into Zombie de Dance, transforming the horror atmosphere into the strange combination of monsters, music and mass dancing that has become one of USJ Halloween’s signatures.
What continues to make USJ Halloween work is the transformation itself. The park you enter during the day becomes something very different after dark: lighting changes, sound fills the streets and zombies replace the normal parade of characters. You can choose the attractions that push your tolerance for horror—or simply walk into Street Zombies and discover how unnerving an otherwise familiar corner of Universal Studios Japan can become when the undead are waiting there.
And for one night, even closing time isn’t the end. On September 25, the adults-only Halloween Horror Nights: All Night keeps selected attractions, Street Zombies and special anniversary programming running from 22:00 until 05:00 the following morning. It’s a separately ticketed, 18+ event, and we’ll keep the details in the Schedule and Tickets FAQs rather than making one exceptional night define the entire season.
Fifteen years after Halloween Horror Nights first began frightening Osaka, USJ isn’t treating the anniversary nostalgically. It’s using it as an excuse to turn everything up. More zombies, harder horror and an entire park that becomes considerably less friendly once the sun goes down.
15 Years of Horror – Halloween Horror Nights celebrates its biggest anniversary yet.
Record Zombie Horde – Street Zombies returns with the largest undead invasion in event history.
Extreme New Horror – Lights Out introduces USJ’s first waiver-required R-18 horror experience.
Resident Evil & Sadako – Two Japanese horror favorites return for another Halloween season.
Chainsaw Man After Dark – 4-D horror and a Hollywood Dream collaboration bring the series into the park.
Photos: Official Universal Studios Japan Website
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN OSAKA?
Discover events, exhibitions, festivals, concerts, culture & more.
Opening Hours
THE SCENE: FAQ’s
ACCESS
Venue: Universal Studios Japan
Address: 2-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana-ku, Osaka
Trains:
JR Osaka Loop Line → Nishikujo ↔ JR Yumesaki Line → Universal City Station
Hanshin Namba Line → Nishikujo ↔ JR Yumesaki Line → Universal City Station
Some JR trains from Osaka Station continue directly onto the Yumesaki Line to Universal City without requiring a transfer at Nishikujo.
Subways:
Metro Chuo Line → Bentencho ↔ JR Osaka Loop Line → Nishikujo ↔ JR Yumesaki Line → Universal City Station
Universal City is the second stop from Nishikujo on the Yumesaki Line.
SCHEDULE
September 11–November 8, 2026
Halloween Horror Nights doesn’t have one universal daily start time. Several horror attractions operate during the daytime, while the transformation of the streets begins in the evening.
10:00–Park Close – Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation and Factory of Fear: Zombie Tour operate from 10:00, subject to their individual admission requirements. Other Halloween attractions have their own operating schedules.
18:00–Park Close – Street Zombies unleashes the largest zombie horde in Halloween Horror Nights history throughout designated areas of the park.
18:00–Park Close – Zombie de Dance turns the streets from horror into a mass zombie dance party, with the final performance each day featuring a special anniversary medley.
Park closing times vary by date, and individual attraction/show schedules can change. Check USJ’s official schedule for your visit rather than assuming every Halloween attraction operates continuously.
September 25 — Halloween Horror Nights: All Night
This special adults-only event runs 22:00–05:00 the following morning, with admission beginning earlier in the day depending on ticket type. Street Zombies continues throughout the night alongside horror attractions, rides and special anniversary shows. Guests must be 18 or older, and a separate All Night ticket is required.
TICKETS
A regular 1-Day Studio Pass provides park admission and access to much of Halloween Horror Nights, including Street Zombies and Zombie de Dance. USJ uses variable pricing, so there is no single admission price for the season; check the official ticket calendar for the price on your chosen date.
Some Halloween experiences have additional requirements or separate charges.
- Street Zombies / Zombie de Dance – Included with park admission.
- Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation – Separate paid ticket required; guests must be 18 or older and sign a waiver on the day.
- Factory of Fear: Zombie Tour – Timed-entry eTickets may be required, and guests 14 or younger cannot enter.
- Express Passes – Optional paid passes are available for selected Halloween attractions and can substantially reduce waiting times.
- Halloween Horror Nights: All Night – Requires its own event ticket and is strictly 18+. One currently listed All Night package with Bonus Time and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD timed entry is ¥17,000 including tax. Other ticket configurations may be available.
USJ now uses dynamic pricing, meaning prices can vary according to admission date and demand. Always check the official ticket page for your specific date before purchasing.
Official Tickets:
https://www.usj.co.jp/web/en/us/tickets
THE EXPERIENCE
Halloween Horror Nights isn’t simply a collection of seasonal attractions. As evening arrives, familiar areas of USJ become part of the show, with zombies filling the streets while major rides, horror experiences and music collaborations extend the Halloween theme throughout the park.
- Street Zombies – From 18:00, the largest zombie horde in the event’s 15-year history spreads through designated areas of USJ.
- Zombie de Dance – Zombies and humans turn the streets into a huge dance party, backed in 2026 by King Gnu’s “SO BAD.”
- Lights Out – USJ’s first R-18 Halloween attraction isolates adult guests in darkness for an intentionally extreme psychological horror experience.
- Resident Evil & Sadako – Resident Evil Requiem: The Dive and Sadako’s Curse: Dark Horror Ride bring two very different styles of Japanese horror into the lineup.
- Chainsaw Man – The Chaos 4-D returns alongside a Hollywood Dream: Backdrop collaboration using Kenshi Yonezu’s “IRIS OUT.”
You don’t need to experience the most extreme attractions to enjoy Horror Nights. Simply being in the park after 18:00, walking through the zombie areas and watching the atmosphere change around you is a major part of the experience.
INFO & TIPS
Daytime Is Different
USJ’s broader autumn celebration begins September 10, a day before Horror Nights, and includes much lighter seasonal experiences, character food, merchandise and trick-or-treat activities. Families can enjoy the park during the day without making extreme horror the focus of their visit.
Know the Age Rules
Halloween Horror Nights overall is not recommended for children 5 or younger, while children 12 and younger require parental consent/discretion. Individual attractions can be considerably stricter: Factory of Fear prohibits guests 14 and younger, while Lights Out is strictly 18+.
Lights Out Is Different
This isn’t simply another haunted house included in your Studio Pass. Lights Out: Nightmare Isolation is the first R-18 attraction in Halloween Horror Nights history, requires a separate paid ticket and a signed waiver, and operates only in Japanese. Bags must also be stored in lockers before entering. USJ prohibits participants from revealing the attraction’s interior or content afterward.
Dress for Halloween—but Know the Rules
Guests can wear costumes, but USJ has detailed restrictions. Clothing or makeup that frightens children—including zombie or ghost costumes and face-obscuring makeup—is prohibited in Universal Wonderland, Minion Park and their surrounding areas. USJ can also refuse entry or remove guests whose costumes or behavior violate park rules.
Don’t Run From the Zombies
Seriously. USJ specifically tells guests not to run, startle performers or react violently to zombies. Horror Nights attracts large crowds and much of the entertainment happens directly on pedestrian streets. Comfortable closed shoes are recommended.
Use the Safe Areas
USJ publishes a Halloween map identifying Zombie Areas, Safe Areas and Safe Routes. That’s particularly useful for families or groups where some people want the full Horror Nights experience and others don’t.
Plan the Paid Attractions Before You Arrive
If Lights Out, an Express Pass attraction or another limited-access experience is important to you, don’t treat it as a spontaneous decision once you’re inside. Check ticket and timed-entry requirements in advance.
September 25 Is Not a Normal Horror Night
The All Night event is a separate 18+ experience running until 05:00, with its own ticketing and operating schedule. Don’t accidentally plan around its hours when visiting on another date.
Check the Daily Schedule
Park closing time, attraction hours and show schedules vary. The dependable nightly anchor is Street Zombies from 18:00 until park close; build the rest of your visit around USJ’s schedule for your actual date.
