Universal Studios Japan

For a no-holds-barred New Year’s celebration that goes far beyond the customary midnight countdown, Universal Studios Japan in Osaka has you covered. USJ’s annual New Year’s Eve extravaganza returns this year as No Limit! Countdown 2026, running an endurance-testing 26 hours from 7pm on December 31 to 9pm on January 1. Last year’s edition proved so popular that tickets were completely sold out. So how do you spend 26 hours at a New Year’s party in USJ? For starters, you’ll have unlimited access to rides and attractions across the entire park. That includes Super Nintendo World – home to favourites like Donkey Kong’s Crazy Trolley and Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge – as well as the 360-degree flying coaster The Flying Dinosaur in the Jurassic Park area, and the newly opened Minion Mayhem Mission: Path to Super Villainy. Meanwhile, the Countdown Special Stage at Gramercy Park will host non-stop entertainment leading up to midnight. The programme reads like a greatest hits showcase of 2025, featuring the year’s most beloved performances. Highlights include the One Piece Premier Show 2025, as well as skits, dances and sketches by Sesame Street characters, Snoopy and friends, Hello Kitty and the Minions. Then, at the stroke of midnight, the park will ring in 2026 with a dazzling display of 4,000 fireworks, lighting up the night sky in a riot of colours. Afterwards, USJ characters will appear in traditional kimono-style outfits to greet and wish everyone a Happy New Year. Entry...