Magic Beyond Hogwarts: Exploring The Making of Harry Potter Tour Tokyo & The Wizarding World at Akasaka Station

 "For in dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own." Albus Dumbledore

As I travel to different cities and countries, I have absentmindedly created a tradition of visiting Harry Potter-themed locations whenever accessible. During our most recent trip to Tokyo, I found myself exploring not one but two Wizarding Worlds – the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo: The Making of Harry Potter and the Harry Potter-themed Akasaka Station.

Perhaps it is nostalgia. Perhaps it is the enduring magic of a story that accompanied an entire generation through childhood and beyond. Whatever the reason, stepping into these spaces always feels like receiving another Hogwarts letter years after the first one was imagined.

 Things we did inside and tips I can share:

1. Got welcomed by a train station where Harry, Ron and Hermione were imprinted on the trains
2. Roamed around the Great Hall where there are setups of dinner table for each house
3. Filmed ourselves at the moving portraits while in awe of the moving staircases
4. Watched a Quidditch match where we're apparently cheering for the Slytherin House (I'm a Ravenclaw)
5. Explored the Triwizard tents and other Hogwarts rooms including Dumbledore's office with Fawkes
6. Lined up for an epic fail photo in front of the Mirror of Erised and went for a short Potion "class"
7. Went inside the very realistic looking Forbidden Forest and Hagrid's Hut
8. Ate lunch at the in-house restaurant and drink butterbeer
9. Explored the 4 Privet Drive house, the Knight Bus, Platform 9 3/4 and Hogwarts Express
10. Roam around the Ministry of Magic
11. Saw the majestic Hogwarts Castle at the tail end of the tour
12. Ended the day at the studio's souvenir shop where I ended up getting Dobby
13. Side quested at the Harry Potter Stairs and Time-Turner
14. Tips: Things you need to know before going there 

🚂 The Journey Begins Before Hogwarts

The magic started long before we begin the tour. On the way to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter, we found splashes of Harry Potter inspired designs inside the train stations like brick wallpapers and oversized analog clock whimsically paying homage to King Cross’ station, and the train carriages adorned with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. As you exit and walk through the cobbled steps to the entrance of the studio, you will see patronus statues, Nagini and Harry and Hagrid.

There was a certain energy in the air that only fellow Potterheads would understand. Everyone seemed equally excited to spend the day chasing a little bit of magic. And honestly, so was I. 

 🏰 Dinner in the Great Hall

Immediately by the entrance, you will find a Great Hall inspired food hall adjacent to the souvenir shop. Honestly, already a fascinating feat right off the bat. As you proceed, you will be ushered to the holding area where an exhibit of movie posters for Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchise through the years are showcased to pull you into nostalgia.

A brief introduction and key reminders later, the doors to the Great Hall finally opened. If you've watched the films, you already know this scene.

An enormous hall illuminated by floating candles and lined with the long tables sectioned into four houses, each carefully set up as if students were about to walk in for a feast with house banners decorating the walls while the professors' table stood prominently at the front.

There was one thing I didn't like about this tho - the access was timed so you will have to hurry should you wish to explore the entire hall and take as much pictures. I didn't get to enjoy and drool over the details as much 😞

🖼️ Becoming a Hogwarts Portrait

“What’s happening?”

“The staircases change, remember?” are the lines playing through my head as we proceed to the next part of the tour. 

This section is one of the first interactive exhibits in the tour that allowed visitors to truly become part of Hogwarts' magical activities. As the nerd that we are, of course we didn’t miss the chance to be part of the famous Moving Portrait collection under the more famous moving stairs. We filmed ourselves and watched as our images were magically transformed into animated portraits hanging inside ornate frames.

 

It was simple, fun, and completely unnecessary which is exactly why we loved it. You can do this for free (well… at least at no extra fee as on top of your entrance fee) so take your time, enjoy and line up as much as you can.

🧹 That Time I Betrayed Ravenclaw

In addition to the moving portraits, you can also be part of the crowd on the stands during a Quidditch match. An experience that was perhaps one of the most entertaining parts of the tour.

 

Using green-screen technology, visitors could become spectators at a Hogwarts Quidditch match and later watch themselves appear in the crowd. Somewhere during the process, however, I apparently ended up cheering for Slytherin.

 

Slytherin.... As a Ravenclaw.

 

I still have no explanation for this shocking lapse in judgment. Perhaps the Sorting Hat made a mistake or the studio's magic temporarily clouded my loyalties? Whatever the reason, I was down to enjoy the fun of this slightly embarrassing experience.

🏆 Champions, Headmasters, and Fawkes

As we ventured deeper into the tour, we explored exhibits inspired by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, including the Triwizard Tournament tents where champions prepared for their tasks. The attention to detail was remarkable, from the weathered fabrics to the smallest props scattered throughout the displays. The Hogwarts interiors were equally impressive. One room led to another, each packed with details that were easy to miss while watching the films.

 

My favorite, as always was Dumbledore's office. Standing there guarded by the gargoyle and surrounded by magical instruments, shelves of books, the pensieve, and the majestic Fawkes perched nearby was like stepping directly into one of the headmaster's private meetings with Harry.

🪞 An Epic Fail Around the Mirror of Erised 

The Mirror of Erised is one of the most iconic magical objects in the Harry Potter universe. Naturally, I expected an equally iconic photo but what I got instead was an epic fail. It was popped somewhere in the middle of the room with no one lining up and without so much as a look around, we walked up to the mirror and was about to take an epic photo only to realized midway that there was actually a line specifically situated on the far side so as not to obstruct the mirror shot.

 

Awkwardly, I put down my camera and walked to the back of the line saying sorry to everyone. When it was our turn, I was so awkward I ended up just taking a quick snap and let it go.

 

Some dreams are simply not meant to be photographed. 😂

 

Thankfully, a nearby Potions activity quickly restored my confidence. Visitors were given a glimpse into some of the practical effects and filmmaking tricks used to create magical classroom scenes.

 

Sadly, no Felix Felicis was available, it would really come in handy and I can try again for an epic Mirror of Erised shot. 😂

🌲 Into the Forbidden Forest

Next on the list of the many entertaining things to see inside this Warner Bro’s Studio Tour was the realistic looking Forbidden Forest at night where you will be greeted by towering trees, Hagrid and a bowing Buckbeak. 

 

And the deeper you go, the more magical creatures you will meet like Hagrid’s old friend Aragog and his children, centaurs, the whomping willow scarred Ford Anglia which at some point will remind you of all the terrible decisions Harry, Ron, and Hermione made throughout the years.

 

Upon exit stood Hagrid's Hut, complete with pumpkin patch, oversized furniture and Fang, reminding visitors that Hogwarts' beloved gamekeeper was anything but average in size.

 

 🍺 Butterbeer Break and Hogwarts House Meal

After a few hours of exploring, we decided for a quick butterbeer dip that conveniently comes with a souvenir cup before we decided to join our family and friends for lunch at the Backlot Café.

 

Strategically located at a backlot area midway through the tour, Backlot Café is the go-to spot for a proper lunch meal before continuing with the exploration. The timeless fan favorites here are the house-themed plates – with each plate packed with different meal variety.

I ordered the Hufflepuff-themed meal while my boyfriend got the Christmas Special Backlot Burger. Now before you question my Ravenclaw loyalty again, it simply looked like the best option for me at the time – roast chicken with bread carrots, some greens, and a Mandrake cheese ball which is a cheesy potato croquette served in a miniature flower pot with edible soil and sprouting leaves.

Unpopular Opinion (or maybe not): Between the butterbeers of Tokyo and Osaka, I still prefer the Butterbeer from Universal Studios Japan.

🚪 From Privet Drive to Platform 9¾

The second half of the tour felt like revisiting some of the most memorable locations from the series. We walked through 4 Privet Drive where Harry spent his childhood living under the stairs, with a living room of many flying Hogwarts letters and a kitchen setup with a floating Aunt Marge as the highlight.

 

We admired the towering Knight Bus.

 

And then we arrived at Platform 9¾ parked with the Hogwarts Express which inside was one of those rare moments where fiction and reality seemed to overlap giving us a glimpse of scenes of Harry and Ron buying treats off the snack trolly, or the reimagined scenery of the flying car just outside the window.

At the opposite side awaits the sought-after photo spot showcasing the scene where Harry was pushing his luggage cart through a wall onto Platform 9¾. Beside it is a Railway Shop where you can have a custom-made Hogwarts acceptance letter.

 ⚖️ Welcome to the Ministry

 Exclusively showcased only in Tokyo, The Ministry of Magic exhibit materialized the enormous scale of the wizarding government. Designed with massive fireplaces, grand architecture of embellished walls of some thousands of tiles and other intricate details from floor to ceiling, the full fantasy of the story opens in focus.

 

It served as a reminder that the Wizarding World was never just about Hogwarts. It was an entire community operating like a normal society except with magic.

 

 ✨ The Castle That Feels Like Home

And then, finally, Hogwarts.

Positioned near the end of the tour was perhaps the most jaw-dropping exhibit of the entire studio - the magnificent recreation of the Hogwarts Castle model used throughout the films. Yes, used as in the filmmakers used this model whenever the movies showed Hogwarts from the outside before digital environments became dominant.

Even after spending an entire day immersed in magic, this was the moment that stopped me in my tracks. Maybe it’s because of the incredible craftmanship of the people behind this breathtakingly unbelievable miniature which by the way was noted by Warner Bro’s that if all the labor spent building and modifying the model throughout the film series were added together, it would amount to over 74 years of work; or perhaps because Hogwarts was never simply a fictional school. For many readers and viewers including myself, it represented the nostalgic feeling of friendship, courage, belonging, and home.

 🧦 Dobby Came Home with Me

 As the tour concluded, we entered the Studio Shop.

 

Like every responsible traveler, I told myself I was "just looking." Five minutes later, I was carrying Dobby. In my defense, those eyes are impossible to resist.

 

So now, I have a loyal house-elf accompanying me at home. 

⏳ A Detour Between Magical Moments 

As if spending an entire day at Hogwarts wasn’t enough, our Harry Potter adventure continued at Akasaka Station.

Located in central Tokyo, Akasaka Station has embraced the Wizarding World through themed installations, decorations, and photo spots inspired by the franchise. Since the nearby Akasaka district is home to the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage production in Japan, the magical theme extends beyond the theater and into the surrounding area.

Although significantly smaller than the Studio Tour, Akasaka Station offered its own kind of magic. House banners hung overhead, wizarding motifs appeared throughout the station, and familiar symbols from the Harry Potter universe seemed to appear around every corner.

Of its many silent charms, my most favorite is the landmark Staircase & Time-Turner and the Marauders’-Themed map of the area.

💡 Things You Need To Know Before Visiting

Overall, the tour is very straightforward and self-guided. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to make the most out of your experience:

• Book your tickets in advance. We got ours via Klook for approximately ₱2,500.00.
• Arrive an hour earlier than your reserved time. This is optional but worth-noting – the studio allows entrance as early as an hour before your reservation. So if you have an extra hour, you can chose to have a headstart before the peak wave of visitors arrive.
• Wear a comfortable walking shoes and bring a power bank. The studio is massive and requires several hours of walking so it goes without saying that wearing a comfortable shoe would be to your benefit.
• Be prepared for premium food prices. The food is quite pricey in comparison to your usual cafe in Japan. For context, my Hufflepuff plate costs ¥2,800.00 and the Christmas Backlot Burger was worth ¥2,500.00. If you bring your own snacks, you can eat them in the outdoor Backlot sitting area.

✨Final Thoughts

One of my ultimate dreams as a Potterhead is to visit the actual filming locations in the United Kingdom. To walk across the real locations that inspired Hogwarts, ride through the Scottish Highlands, and see firsthand the places where the magic was brought to life. But until then, I am more than happy to keep exploring every Harry Potter exhibition, attraction, and magical corner that I happen to come across during my travels.

The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour Tokyo may not be located in the UK, but it offers something equally fascinating – a chance to step behind the scenes and appreciate the incredible craftsmanship, creativity, and attention to detail that transformed a beloved book series into a global phenomenon.

Combined with the Harry Potter-themed attractions around Akasaka Station, this experience added an unexpected layer of magic to our Tokyo itinerary. Whether it was standing beneath the floating candles of the Great Hall, wandering through the Forbidden Forest, admiring Hogwarts Castle, or simply spotting Wizarding World details inside a busy train station, every stop offered something memorable for fans of the franchise like me.

For Potterheads planning a trip to Tokyo, this is one attraction that is worth setting aside a full day for. Absolutely not bad for a city better known for neon lights, busy crossings, and towering skyscrapers. 

Until I finally make it to the United Kingdom, this will do nicely.