USJ Postpones Opening Date for Super Nintendo World

Much to the delight of Nintendo fans in Japan and around the world, Universal Studios Japan announced an opening date back in November for the world's first Super Nintendo World. Although the park was set to open on February 4th this year, due to the government's decision to add Osaka to the list of prefectures under a state of emergency in Japan, the park's opening date will be further postponed. The announcement was made on their website in Japanese yesterday.

Visitor Numbers Limited

Universal Studios Japan will limit the number of people allowed into the park from this Sunday (January 17th) to cooperate with the government's efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. The daily entry limit will continue until February 7th (the current end date for the state of emergency), although it could be extended depending on the situation.

What About Other Parks?

Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea have also announced limits on daily visitor numbers since the state of emergency was announced in Tokyo and the surrounding area. Both parks are open with all rides operating, albeit they are limiting numbers for entering attractions, restaurants, cafes and other facilities.

When Will Super Nintendo World Open?

The current state of emergency in Osaka is set to be lifted on February 7th. As long as the situation doesn't significantly worsen during this period, it's expected that USJ will announce a new reopening date for Super Nintendo World after the state of emergency is over.

Can Foreigners Currently Enter Japan?

Foreigners without residency in Japan are currently barred from entering the country unless under some exceptional circumstances. The increase of COVID-19 cases around Japan has led to the government announcing various steps to stem the spread of the virus in the country.

New entries into Japan with long-term visas such as for study or work-related purposes were allowed into Japan until recently. The ban will last until the current state of emergency is lifted although it could be extended depending on the situation. Visiting Japan for tourism purposes is still not allowed, the government was considering opening up Japan to tourism in the spring this year, however that may be delayed too.