‘Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter’ is not an amusement park with attractions, but rather an interactive studio tour with incredible recreations of sets and scenes, and a whole host of fun ways to get involved with the Harry Potter world that has been created here.

The tour takes around three to four hours to complete. It can be done in less time, but only if you’re taking a few pictures here and there and choose not to interact much with the scenes, so we recommend allowing a few hours to get the most out of it. The entire tour is a loop, so you won’t miss anything.

There are only a couple of places to use the bathroom or have any refreshments along the way, so make sure you’re prepared!

Even before you enter the building, you’ll know you’re in the right place. Toshimaen Station has various Harry Potter-like elements within the station itself, and once you exit you will be greeted by the house colors and Harry’s iconic stag Patronus.

At the park entrance, you’ll then see a few other Patronus statues around, as well as a Hagrid statue, a Nagini statue, and even a giant pair of Harry’s glasses (before they got broken, that is).

Those aren’t the only friends greeting you though, as once you’ve entered the building, you’ll see a magnificent dragon roaring through the skies as if it were about to burst through the glass!

As you enter, on the right, you’ll see a recreation of the Great Hall (called the Food Hall), complete with floating candles and house colors where you can get various Harry Potter and British-themed meals and snacks. Depending on when you arrive, you could treat yourself to fish and chips or a house-colored donut before your tour, or wait to stop by afterward.

You’ll also see Frog Café, the magic chocolate frog-themed dessert bar.

But the main event lies straight ahead from the entrance, in an unsuspecting darkened doorway...

Walk through the doorway and you’ll be greeted by large portraits of Harry and the gang, as well as a QR code that you’ll need to scan in order to be able to save any pictures or interactions you have later on.

Then, after waiting in a room full of illuminated moving portraits, you’ll receive a short introduction to the tour in Japanese and English, and the doors will open up onto a mini movie theater.

There, you’ll get a mini-movie where Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint will tell you a bit about why the tour was set up.

Then, you walk through the large oak doors and finally, you’re in Hogwarts!

The first half of our tour begins with the impressive recreation of the Great Hall, complete with original costumes worn by the actors during various films.

This gives you a chance to explore the intricate detail that goes into every part of the movie, from the patterns on Dumbledore’s cloak to the details on McGonagall’s hat.

But the Great Hall is just the beginning. This atmospheric set recreation is one of many, each interspersed with informative exhibits and insights into the making of those scenes and movies.

The next set recreation you’ll come across is the Gryffindor common room, not far from the Slytherin common room, both with the same level of detail as the movies themselves, making you feel fully immersed in the magical world.

While learning about how the set and costumes were made, you’ll also have plenty of opportunities to feel like you’ve stepped into the movies themselves. Maybe you’d like to be a part of the crowd at a Quidditch game, or perhaps you’ll follow in our footsteps...

And join in a Defence Against the Dark Arts class!

One of the staff, called an “interactor”, gave us a taste of one of Harry’s favorite classes, showing us how to practice Stupefy and even Expelliarmus when the class was interrupted by an unexpected guest.

Throughout the tour, you’ll find other areas to interact with different scenes, so bring your wand if you’ve already got one!

About halfway through the tour (around 40 min. – 1 hr. from start point) is the first and only refreshment area during the tour, where the main focus is the one-of-a-kind wizarding world beverage known as Butterbeer.

Butterbeer is a non-alcoholic drink somewhat reminiscent of a mild ginger ale with a sweet butterscotch foam. The foam is definitely the best part taste-wise, but we were excited to be able to take home the souvenir cup too! There was even a washing up station to clean the cup for transport home.

But the refreshment area is not just a simple café, as there are scene recreations out here too. In contrast to the focus-lit areas in the rest of the tour, this area is all outside, and has recreations of the Hogwarts bridge, the Knight Bus, the human-sized chess board, and even the Dursley’s house on Privet Drive.

Did you know that the Hogwarts Bridge was not in the original novels? It was invented by director Alfonso Cuarón to make the journey more exciting in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

As a Brit myself, I was pretty gob-smacked (shocked) by the Dursley’s home, because looking at it on its own felt just like I had been transported to a street in Surrey! You could even look inside to have a peek at Harry’s childhood room under the stairs, and a recreation of the Hogwarts letters filling the room.

Up until the refreshment area, the focus was mainly on set design and costumes, but after a frothy glass of Butterbeer, it’s time to learn about the art and sound.

Casual and hard-core fans alike will enjoy Platform 9¾, with the replica 1937 Great Western Railway 4900 Class, which was the base for the iconic red Hogwarts Express.

Of course, there are the luggage carts halfway through the station walls to take fun photos with!

In the movies, while the train carriage was a physical set, the scenes outside the window were CGI. So here, you can walk through the train itself, and relive some of the memorable scenes from the movies. The final carriage is even filled with icy smoke, just like in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

The area also offers the chance to get a few souvenirs to accompany you on the remainder of your tour.

The first area after the train station gives you an insight into how the mythical beings, monsters, and special characters were created. Just make sure you’re mentally prepared for it, as this look behind the scenes will change the way you see the wizarding world forever! I personally couldn’t believe how they made Hagrid look like the half-giant he is!

Another opportunity to feel like you’re a part of the magical CGI effects presents itself at the Ministry of Magic. Yes, that unforgettable marble hall is recreated on the tour too, and you can have a go at transporting yourself with floo powder! This is where you’ll need that QR code from the entrance to get access to your floo powder video (available about 2 hours after taking it).

Afterwards, you can even learn about the special effects used for the Fantastic Beasts series in this area. Then, find yourself at an area filled with mini green screens where you can take a ride on your very own broomstick for memorabilia photos.

Just before the end, after strolling through Diagon Alley, you’ll walk through a section dedicated to the sound art of the Harry Potter movies, with a fun Foley section filled with the different textures and sound makers used for the sound effects. Then hear how the movies would sound with and without various aspects of the sound design’s work. Seeing everything broken down makes you feel a newfound appreciation for the unseen parts of the team.

Finally, the tour ends with a stunning recreation of the Hogwarts Castle. The giant diorama is surrounded by lights that cycle through night and day, and the night scene is complete with atmospheric lights across the castle. It’s hard to pry yourself away from such a scenic moment.

After taking it all in at the final castle scene, you are greeted by what can only be described as a souvenir emporium. The huge souvenir shop is filled with Harry Potter goodies, from wands and maps to customizable cloaks and Quidditch gear.

By the end of it all, you’ll have likely been walking for a few hours in this incredible Harry Potter world, so if you want a moment to take it all in, you might like to spend some time at the Frog Café. Rest your feet and let it all sink in!

All in all, The Making of Harry Potter tour is a welcoming place for all, no matter whether you’re a die-hard fan or new to the films. While seasoned fans will appreciate learning about the little details and stepping into their favorite scenes, newcomers will have just as much fun exploring this fantasy world and trying out the interactive activities. It seems like the perfect activity for a rainy day, as on this tour, time will fly faster than a Nimbus 2000!

(‘Wizarding World’ and all related names, characters and indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. – Wizarding World publishing rights © J.K. Rowling. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.)