Japan's theme parks have become a major draw for international visitors, with the country welcoming a record 42.7 million overseas arrivals in 2025. Its line-up spans global IP-based destination resorts, record-breaking roller coasters and culturally themed attractions across the country.
IP-driven immersive lands
Universal Studios Japan, which opened in Osaka in 2001, hosts lands based on the Harry Potter franchise as well as Jurassic Park and Minions. It became the first Universal park worldwide to open Super Nintendo World in 2021 and added the world's first Donkey Kong Country area within the land in 2024. The park runs limited-time collaborations with franchises including Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Pokémon, One Piece and Resident Evil, alongside seasonal Sanrio shows and parades. 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, was the first Disney park outside the US and is based on the original Disneyland in California, with seven themed lands. Together with Tokyo DisneySea, which opened in September 2001 across 49 hectares and is divided into themed ports, it is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company under licence from The Walt Disney Company. In 2024 the resort opened Fantasy Springs, its largest expansion to date at $2.2 billion, with worlds inspired by Frozen, Tangled and Peter Pan. Tokyo Disneyland has announced Space Mountain Earthrise and Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue as part of Tomorrowland's 100 billion yen transformation, with a new Space Mountain set to replace the original coaster in 2027.
Ghibli Park, inside the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, opened in November 2022 and completed its five themed areas with Valley of Witches in March 2024. It has no major thrill rides or roller coasters, but features a large-scale recreation of Howl's Moving Castle, a My Neighbor Totoro-themed playground and Catbus electric vehicles; a new indoor area inspired by Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was announced in 2026. In February 2026 the world's first permanent outdoor Pokémon attraction, PokéPark Kanto, opened at Yomiuriland in Tokyo, covering 26,000 square metres with more than 600 Pokémon across two zones. Sanrio Puroland, an indoor park in Tama City that opened in 1990, brings Hello Kitty, My Melody and Cinnamoroll to life through shows, rides and character experiences.
Record-breaking coasters
Fuji-Q Highland, opened in 1968 near the base of Mount Fuji, is known for its record-breaking rides Fujiyama, Eejanaika and Takabisha, and hosts limited-time collaborations with anime franchises. Nagashima Spa Land in Mie Prefecture, opened in 1966, has 13 operating coasters — more than any other park in Japan — including Steel Dragon 2000, which ranks among the world's longest roller coasters. Yomiuriland, in Tokyo's Tama Hills, offers more than 40 rides and attractions and attracted around 2.4 million visitors in 2024, its 60th anniversary year. Hirakata Park, Osaka's oldest amusement park, dating back to 1910, draws around 1.3 million visitors a year and features the 696m-long wooden coaster Elf. Greenland in Kumamoto, with around 80 attractions, includes a 105m Ferris wheel and the Milky Way dual-track coaster.
Cultural and character parks
Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura recreates a town from Japan's Edo period across 49.5 hectares, with period costumes, ninja performances and activities such as traditional archery. Huis Ten Bosch in Nagasaki, Japan's largest theme park by area at about 152 hectares, recreates a Dutch-style town and opened Japan's first premium flying theatre, featuring an 8K LED dome screen, with Brogent Technologies in 2025; its Miffy Wonder Square also opened that year. Moominvalley Park in Saitama, the first Moomin-themed park outside Finland, opened in 2019 and centres on themed buildings rather than traditional rides. Legoland Japan, which opened in Nagoya in 2017, includes Miniland Japan, built from more than 10 million Lego bricks. Sanrio Harmonyland in Oita opened the Nakayoku Lab area in 2026, while Asakusa Hanayashiki, dating to 1853, is considered Japan's oldest amusement park. Sylvanian Park in Ibaraki offers character-led family attractions.
Taken together, the parks show a market that combines destination resorts run by global operators with independent, IP-focused and culturally themed attractions, several of which have already outlined expansions for 2026 and beyond.