Toei Studios Uzumasa Kyoto Village in Kyoto
Every year for the ten weeks around Halloween (mid-September through the end of November), the Japanese movie studio that’s most famous for making killer period dramas…
puts on a yokai (Japanese folk monster) party. Let’s join in!
The price of admission to Uzumasa Kyoto Village includes both a twilight parade and an evening parade of supernatural creatures…
that finishes up at the town square for an outdoor monster mash.
But it’s worth it to come early (or at times of year other than Halloween!) because there’s so much more to do than watch the monster parade.
From the moment we walk in the front gate, there are clues all around that Toei Studios has decades of experience filming Japanese costume dramas.
The ones that take place in the samurai era are filmed here, in Uzumasa Kyoto Village. Surrounded by sound stages (like No. 2 in the background of this photo)…
the only hint that the exceedingly authentic-looking town buildings on the right are part of a movie set are the props lined up on the left.
These pieces are switched out according to the period in which the movie takes place…
and which town the generic village streets are supposed to represent.
Even the fake rocks look chō-authentic!
In addition to the samurai era village set, there are outdoor sets for a port town and Meiji Era street, which turn out to be excellent backdrops for…
your costume rental experience! If you’ve ever had a hankering to be dressed in traditional clothing that transforms you into a samurai, a ninja, a geisha, a princess, or any number of other historic characters, Toei Studios’s costume rental service is a premium opportunity.
As you might guess, movie studio costumes aren’t the shabby cut-rate tourist trappings rented elsewhere. The clothing, wigs and props are as high-quality as you can get, and combined with backdrops authentic enough for period dramas, this is an only-in-Japan dress-up opportunity that’s not to be missed!
In addition to posing for once-in-a-lifetime photos, the price of admission also includes a ninja stage show…
a chance to try your hand at ninja skills yourself, like navigating a ninja maze, figuring your way out of a ninja escape room, learning to throw a shuriken or shoot an arrow.
You can also be fooled by the masterful sleight of hand in an Edo Period gambling den performance…
or get the pants scared right off you in their haunted house, something I must absolutely warn you against. I didn’t venture into the Toei Studios obakeyashiki because I have already been scarred for life by Japanese haunted houses, which are deeply, nightmare-inducing terrifying. They aren’t just scary to look at—they often have hidden cast members who sneak up behind you and are even allowed to touch you for THE WORST JUMP SCARE OF YOUR LIFE. Enter at your own peril!
If (like me) you’d rather be Instagrammable-scared, get yourself a monster snack instead!
Note: I went to the Yokai Parade two years ago, when it was just getting started, and it looks like they’ve improved the experience 1000% since then. When I went, there were far fewer than the hundred advertised yokai in the parade…
and while some were pretty excellent…
many of them weren’t actually cast members, they were god-level cosplaying visitors.
Even if that part hasn’t improved mightily, it’s still worth a visit because the parade route winds through the entire village, and it’s possible to run from spot to spot if you didn’t get photos of your favorite yokai when they cavorted past you the first time.
Toei Studios Uzumasa Kyoto Village • “Hyakki Yakō” yokai event
Event dates: Mid-September through the end of November (check website page for exact dates)
Where: Toei Studios Uzamasa Kyoto Village
Hours: 10:00 – 21:00; Evening entry only: 17:00 – 21:00
Special Events
Yokai Dance Live (free with park entrance): 10:30, 13:30, 15:30 on Sat, Sun and public holidays during event period at Otemon Plaza
Kaikai Yokai Parade (free with park entrance): 17:30 on Sat, Sun and public holidays during event period (Karasu Street to Otemon Plaza)
Uzamasa Hyakki Yakō (free with park entrance): 19:30 on Sat, Sun and public holidays during event period (Karasu Street to Otemon Plaza)
Admission:
All-day ticket: Adults (13 and older) ¥2800; Children (3-12) ¥1600
Evening only: Adults (13 and older) ¥2000; Children (3-12) ¥1300
You can buy tickets online in English here.
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Here’s where Toei Studios Uzamasa Kyoto Village is:
To figure out how to get to Toei Studios Uzamasa Kyoto Village, use the Japan Navigation phone app, plugging in your location, travel date and preferred arrival/departure time. Here’s where to get the app and how to use it.
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly Japanagram newsletter, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
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