The legends run wild.

Looks like Universal is thinking of all sorts of ways to exceed park capacity, so not only do we have events for One Piece, but also Dragon Ball Z AND Death Note. Let's look deeper into the details that have been released so far.

RECENT UPDATES WILL BE MARKED IN RED. AND BOLDED. :>

Universal Jump Summer

Official Webpage

Event Period

July 1 until September 4

Attractions

You'll need your brain. That's actually what it says, though I guess I could have been more poetic with my translation lol

Death Note The Escape

Official Webpage&nbsp

Welp, I hope you enjoyed the escape games for Resident Evil, because they aren't done with these yet! You'll be put into a team of 4 where you have to work together with L to solve puzzles and escape death, maybe?

Like the RE escape game, this is technically an attraction separate from the park, so you will have to purchase a special ticket for this. They will be available for purchase on the USJ website (no information on whether you can purchase them in the park).

I'm guessing this is an example of what the game area will look like.

 According to the description from USJ's site, you'll be running around a 4 story building called 'Sakura TV', following instructions from L, while you feel the presence of the God of Death behind you. With a combination of realistic productions and live actors, you'll get to experience the world of Death Note as you try this solve this escape game.

Tickets are on sale NOW and all dates are currently available. One ticket (any age) is 2980 yen （including tax), while pair tickets (a set of 2), are 7980 yen.

So far, it seems to include the 3 "attractions", One Piece Premier Summer (which is really its own even), a 4-D DBZ attraction and a Death Note attraction (probably along the same lines as the RE escape games from the past years).

Experience a power level of 5.3 billion. WAT.

Dragon Ball Z: The Read 4-D

Offical Webpage

According to the site, this will be a 4-D attraction with its own original story (??) and battle between Goku and Frieza. We ALL know how it'll end, but I'm interested in what this 5.3 billion power level is. Because I didn't think power levels got much higher than the millions. And that's all we've got so far! I'll try to update again once they post more info.

Details for the attraction have been released! It will be animated completely in 3-D with 4-D elements (lights, smoke, shaking chairs). It seems like tickets are not NEEDED for the attraction, but they are pushing their Summer Special express pass set. That means that if you go to the park to line up for the attraction, you'll probably be waiting in line for most of the day. Sadly, I'll have to recommend the express pass set if you want to see the attraction and get anything else done that day.

Dragonball Z The Rally

On the plus side, if you buy the Summer Special Express Pass -Dragonball Z- set, you get to participate in what looks like a Dragonball Z treasure hunt for the dragonballs called Dragonball Z The Rally. The event runs from 10:30 am until 7:30 pm (or 7:00 pm, depending on what time the park closes), lasts for bout 70 minutes, and winners do get a prize (however, you cannot choose the prize and it's not for resale, like that's ever stopped anyone though). 

Summer Special Express Pass -Dragonball Set- retails for 2,400 yen and comes with the dragonball reader, while the Summer Special Express -Universal Jump Summer Set- retails for 8,900 and includes entrance to all the the Shonen Jump attractions/events. More ticket info will be below!

Universal Shonen Jump Exhibition

July 1 - September 4
Official Webpage

In this exhibition area, you'll be able to check out some development art, trick, and quizes about your favorite Shonen Jump titles. It's not an attraction per se, but it will likely be a lot less crowded than other places and could serve as a nice spot to kill time.

Current series list for the exhibition.

There will be 7 Shonen titles on displayed: こちら, 飾区亀有公園前派出所 Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo (AKA Kochikame), Dragonball, One Piece, Death Note, Haikyuu!!, 僕のヒーローアカデミア Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia), and BORUTO -Naruto Next Generations- (not food, but definitely sounds like it). Most of them just seem to feature developmental artwork from the series, but My Hero Academia has some trick art, Haikyuu will probably have life-sized figures of the character(s), Death Note will have a display of items used from he theatrical production, and BORUTO will have some AR photo ops.

This exhibition will be right next to the entrance of the park and the exhibition will run from July 1st until September 4th, no tickets required.

That day's vow becomes a new strength. That was hard to translate.. all the direct trans sound lame xD

One Piece Premier Summer 2016

July 1 until October 2
Official Webpage

The attractions listed on the site at this moment are the One Piece Premier Show 2016 and Sanji's Restaurant as tickets for these two events will go on sale first. Tickets to these events are separate from park entry and can be purchased in advance online, or at the park (I don't recommend park purchases for Sanji's Rest as that sells out pretty fast!).

Sanji's Pirates Restaurant

Official Webpage

This is like a mini, indoor version of the premier show, that also includes food! All the actors mime to the actual voice-actors' voices being played over the speaker, and interact with the guests. If I had to choose between going to this event or the premier show, I'd definitely choose this one!

Tickets 4980 yen for adults, 2550 yen for kids, with 5 shows a day, 80 minutes each. At the end of each show, you can take 2 photos with the Mugiwara crew, one on yuor own device, and one with that park's camera. The photos will be available for purchase after leaving the event.

Ticket sales begin on Friday, May 20th at 12 PM, WEBSTORE ONLY. The only other way to get your hands on Sanji tickets is by going to the park, and even then, you can only buy tickets for that day, not any other day. Check ticket info (Japanese only) here.

One Piece Premier Show 2016

Official Webpage

Well, the only info up so far is when you can buy tickets. No updates on who's to appear or what the story will be for this year yet, but an update should be coming later on this month! I'll try to add it to this post.

Tickets can only be purchased in-advance on USJ's website and eventually at convenience stores in Japan, but pre-sale tickets start with season pass holders, so you might be a little SOL if you wait to buy your ticket at the park.

The above image lists the ticket prices based on the seat you choose. The seats closer to the stage and in the center are all S1, so they'll run you 4980 yen for adults, 2550 yen for children. The cheaper seats are 1980 yen, 980 yen respectively, but they'll be toward the back and maybe behind a pillar. Choose wisely.

UPDATE 05/13
Tickets are now available for purchase online ONLY. The online presale will end on May 15th, after which, they will be available for purchase at Lawson as well. All dates except for July 1 are available. For other dates, I checked seat availability, and it seems like S1 seats (the seats closest to the stage) are already sold out. S2, A1, and A2 are still available. Regular ticket sales will commence on May 20th, by which all of the S seats will probably be gone, so if you want to be anywhere near the action, get a ticket now!

Sabo should be making an appearance this year! Squee!!

One Piece Water Battle

Official Webpage

Okay, this event, to be truly honest, is adorable! I checked it out last year with some friends, and though it was the cutest. Basically, some of the OP actors come out and have a water gun fight with kids. I don't know if adults are not allowed to participate, but I didn't see any sitting down on the ground with the kids.
Last year, it was Zoro, Luffy, Kin'emon and some Marine officers (basically, the photo above). But I did take video of the event, so I'll be sure to edit it up to show you guys!

Schedule
This event runs 4 times a day, so if you're not able to tickets to the premier show or restaurant, then definitely check this one out! You just have to stand in the right area until they start!

Dates: July 1 - September 4
(details are released 1 week to 10 days in advance)
Location: The terrace in front of Amity Landing Restaurant

Universal Yokai Watch Festival

Official Webpage

Event Period

July 1 until September 4



So I totally forgot about this event! It's been all over TV because kids watch TV and kids love Yokai Watch. I've only ever watched it with my niece and nephew, but the characters are super adorable and I bought a budo-nyan (grape cat-thing lol) from USJ last year, so I wouldn't mind checking this out.

It seems to have been broken down into 4 attractions/events.

Attractions

Yokai Watch The Real 3

Official Webpage

As the name suggests, this is not the first time USJ has done this event. I didn't participate in the previous ones, but this year's attraction appears to take in America (oh gawd). As this attraction is mainly for children, they made a special "children's ticket" that will be given out to kids in elementary school or younger. This ticket is free but is limited to certain number of children per day, so once they run out, it's finished. You can still try to wait in line for the attraction, but there's also no guarantee that you'll get to participate.

For this attraction, each group of 3 will be given a Yokai Watch and Yokai Pad, one of each, so families of 3 or more will probably have to split into separate groups. Groups of middle school ages kids or older will cannot obtain or use a "children's ticket" but they can purchase the Summer Special Express Pass -Universal Yokai Watch Festival Group Set- to participate. You're also free to line-up the day-of, but there are no guarantees on the wait times (the attraction time is only 25 minutes, but, you know, kids).

Yokai Workout The Real

Official Webpage

So if you know Yokai Watch, you know that one of it's biggest draws is the easy to mimic 'yokai taiso (yokai exercise)' that was played during the TV show. This show attraction is a way for people to meet their favorite yokai characters and dance/exercise with them (to be honest, I bet that's pretty adorable).

Unfortunately, there are a few rules that have to be observed during the show, mainly that photo and video are not allowed. This is probably for the best seeing as chaos usually ensues around yokai and cameras. Entrance to this attraction is also available through the Summer Special Express Pass -Universal Yokai Watch Festival Group Set-.

Yokai Watch The Rally

Official Webpage

This is another pad attraction based in the Hollywood area of the park that is a scavenger hunt, much like the DBZ attraction (see what ya did thar USJ). Participants that finish this attraction will receive one of the two limited edition USJ original Yokai medals.

Unlike the two previous attractions, there is a participation fee involved for visitors that aren't using the express pass set. The ¥1,000 yen ticket is available for purchase at the webstore (starting from July 4) or within the park. This ticket is included with the Summer Special Express Pass -Universal Yokai Watch Festival Group Set-, but I would assume that while the group has to share the pad, each participant will receive their own prize medal (I sincerely hope that is the case).

Yokai Watch Studio Stars Restaurant

Official Webpage

This is an American-style restaurant (e.g. hamburgers and hot dogs) with a Yokai Watch theme. Whisper (the ghost with the purple lipstick) is said to be the head chef, though what he knows about American dishes is a mystery. So far, the only dishes announced are a lunch box set with a hot dog, a ham and egg sandwich, and fries, plus two two mousse desserts. The others will probably be announced after the event begins.

Links

Official Universal Studios Japan Site (Jpn)
Official Universal Studios Japan Site (Eng, notice the drop in site quality...)
Official USJ Facebook Page (Jpn)
Official USJ Twitter Account (Jpn)
How to Purchase One Piece Premier Summer tickets blog post
USJ-related Posts on this blog

Ticket Packages

There are quite a few ticket packages available for all the events going on this summer, so I figured it would be easiest to write the names, prices and links all in one place. All the USJ official webstore items are only available in Japanese. For websites that are selling tickets in English, please check out Voyagin below.

Summer Special Express -Universal Jump Summer Set-
Adults/children: ¥8,900 tax incl.
Shop here (Jpn only)

This one is the most expensive as it includes tickets to the following attractions: Dragonball Z The Real 4-D, One Piece Premier Show 2016, and Death Note The Escape.

Summer Special Express -Dragonball Set-
Adults/children: ¥2,400 to ¥3,900 (price varies depending on the day, tax included)
Shop here (Jpn only)

This ticket "set" only provides you with a ticket to the Dragonball 4-D attraction, but it comes with a lot of freebies, so I guess that's why they call it a set. You get a booklet, that let's you participate in the dragonball treasure hunt, and a dragonball reader, but you want be able to enjoy any other attractions with this set.

Summer Special Express -Universal Yokai Watch Festival Group Set-
Group of 3: ¥7,200 to ¥10,278 (price varies depending on the day, tax included)
Shop here (Jpn only)

The group ticket set is for a group of 3, and includes entrance to two of the Yokai events (Yokai The Real and Yokai Workout). The group also receives a Yokai pad for the scavenger hunt and a limited edition original drink present. Perfect for families of 3, but maybe a bit troublesome for bigger families.

Universal Express Pass 3 -Summer Special-
Adults/children: ¥2,400 to ¥4,200 (price varies depending on the day, tax included)
Shop here (Jpn only)

This express pass set does not include entrance to any of the limited-time attractions. You gain faster entrance to the follow attractions: Hollywood Dream The Ride, Space Fantasy The Ride, and JAWS. The period of validity for this pass follows the same period as the Universal Jump and Yokai Festival events, so take care when shopping.

15th Special Express Pass
Adults/children: ¥3,900 to ¥6,600 (price varies depending on the day, tax included)
Shop here (Jpn only)

This pass is also unrelated to the Universal Jump and Yokai Festival events, but it does include fast entry for new attractions like The Flying Dinosaur and the revamped Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (you also get special seats for the parade).

English-language Reservation Service for USJ: Voyagin

Click on the Option drop-down menu to select an express pass.

If you're looking for an English-language service for getting your USJ tickets, check out Voyagin! They'll help you get your park tickets, plus they have extra options for the Summer Special Express -Dragonball Set- and Summer Special Express -Universal Jump Summer Set-, and they can get you train tickets for your trip to the park. If you need them to, they can even print and send your tickets to your hotel, but make sure to read the instructions on how.

Click here to access Voyagin's USJ reservation page.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I've been more motivated lately, so I may answer really soon! >w<)//



★Peaces★

Okay, so this post has been sitting my drafts for a literal year. Ooops.
But the weather has been pretty mild this winter, so you might be able to squeeze a little autumn leaves watching on. Or if you just want a fun walking trail around Kyoto (that's not in Kyoto City)!

Below, I've provided a map of the trail that Shota and I used. It was a taken from a Keihan Railway travel guide that we found online, but doesn't seem to be available on their site any longer. So instead, I'll be posting the locations with addresses and photos here so you can work on your own trail.

Tickets

We used the Keihan railway's special sightseeing ticket that include train fare for the Keihan and Eizan Railway lines. That means you can hop on and off of the trains an many times as you want without paying any extra fair. This pass does not include stations on Keihan's Keishin and Ishiyama-Sakamoto lines and the Otokoyama cable car.

Price: 1,600 Yen (adults) 800 Yen (children)
Available Until: March 31st, 2017
Perks: Includes coupons for various temples and restaurants located along the railway and i the Kurama/Kibune area.
Where to Buy: Any subway or Keihan ticket office (cannot be purchased online)
English PDF: Kurama/Kibun 1-Day Ticket
Japanese Site: Kurama/Kibune 1-Day Ticket

Konpuku Temple
〒６０６－８１５６　京都市左京区一乗寺才形町20
Kyoto Sightseeing Website (Japanese only): Konpuku Temple
Wikipedia (English): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konpuku-ji
Entry Price: 400 Yen (adults), 200 Yen (h.s. and jr. h.s.), Free (children)
Hours of Operation: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

This is a small temple tucked away in the corner of this suburban town. Originally constructed in 846 then revived during the Edo period, it features a rock garden, a thatch-roofed house where Basho stayed for a spell, and a graveyard that goes into the mountains behind the temple.

However, the best part of this petite temple is the cat that resides there. This little calico was quite the attention grabber, and rightfully so because cat. It's not afraid of the many visitors that stop to take it's photo, but I would talk to the temple's caretakers before petting him.

Hatidai Shrine
〒６０６－８１５６　京都市左京区一乗寺松原町１番地
Website: http://www.hatidai-jinja.com/
Entry Price: Free
Hours of Operation: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

This shrine is well-known for it's patron samurai-saint Musashi Miyamoto. He supposedly came to this shrine to pray before a duel against a member of the Yoshioka family, decided not to pray because he didn't want to rely on gods for his victories, and won. This was the story we heard from the shrine caretakers. Better than most origin stories for churches in the states.

The shrine is not particularly large, there's only the main shrine area and the booth selling shrine goodies, but a must see for any fans of samurai. Here you can buy a Musashi Miyamoto ema (prayer board) or a variety of other Miyamoto charms (though he might suggest that you not rely on him for your victories either).

Also, preserved on the grounds of the shrine, is part of the pine tree that stood during Miyamoto's duel.

Shisen-do Jozan Temple
〒606-8154京都市左京区一乗寺門口町27番地
Website (Jpn): http://www.kyoto-shisendo.com/Ja.html
Website (Eng):  http://www.kyoto-shisendo.com/En/top.html
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shisen-d%C5%8D
Entry Price:  500 Yen (adults), 400 Yen (h.s. students), 200 Yen (jr. h.s. and elementary)
Hours of Operation: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (entrance closes at 4:45 PM)

Residing happily next to Miyamoto's shrine is Shisen-do Jozan temple. This picturesque garden was home to the Japanese writer and former ronin Jozan Ishikawa, who survived through one of the most chaotic periods of Japanese history, from the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the Edo period.

The interior of the temple is decorated with the portraits of Chinese poets, but sadly, you're not allowed photos of the interior (they can, however, be viewed on the official website). This isn't much of a problem as the main draw of this locale isn't the buildings, it's the gardens.

This spot is said to have one of the best examples of Japanese garden work, and I would agree.

Enko Temple (Enkoji)
〒606-8147 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, 左京区一乗寺小谷町13
 Website (Bilingual): http://www.enkouji.jp/
Entry Price: 500 Yen (adults), 400 Yen (h.s. and jr. h.s.), 300 Yen (elementary)
Hours of Operation: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

The next garden was constructed by Tokugawa Ieyasu, and is where Rinzai Zen Buddhism was practice by both priests and laymen. It was destroyed during the Meiji Restoration, but restored by nuns.

Inside the building next to the garden, you can see wooden printing stamps that were used to make copies of the many Chinese classics taught at the school. A significant locale for any of those printing-press nerds out there.

This was one of the larger gardens, but I wouldn't call it my favorite, though I have a slight bias when it comes to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Because I don't like him. He was a coward and a child-killer (but I guess most warriors of feudal eras were).

Manshu-in
〒606-8134 京都府京都市左京区一乗寺竹ノ内町４２
Official Website: http://www.manshuinmonzeki.jp/
The Kyoto Project Website: http://thekyotoproject.org/english/manshuin-monzeki/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manshu-in
Entry Price: 600 Yen (Gen. Admin.), 500 Yen (h.s. students), 400 Yen (jr. h.s. and elementary)

This was the last stop on our walking trip and was the one garden we didn't actually pay to go inside of. We were pretty burnt out on temples and gardens (and walking) by then, so we just stopped for some coffee and cake at the restaurant outside of the temple.

They had a lot of tables and umbrellas set up for eating outdoors, but the restaurants in the front garden also have indoor seating.

The pictures from the official website are pretty impressive and I'm almost wishing I'd taken the time (and money) to go check out the inner gardens. I'll just have to save that for the next trip.

The trail is probably my favorite when it comes to sightseeing in Kyoto. The more popular areas tend to just be a rush of people, and that makes it really hard for me to enjoy the serenity and stillness that gardens and temples are made to represent. And though these locations aren't completely sightseer free, the volumes of people are low enough that you don't have to worry about people walking through your serene photo-op with a Japanese maple.

After this trail, we actually took the train all the way to Kibune Shrine, which is up in the mountains and not included on this little map. I'll be making a separate post for that shrine. Also because it was my favorite shrine of the day! Chyeah!



★Peaces★