It’s happening! The Making of Harry Potter really is coming to Tokyo!
If you live in the U.K. or have visited London in the last nine years, you may have had the chance to visit Warner Bros. Studio Tours–The Making of Harry Potter. It’s a huge permanent exhibition featuring the props and sets used to make the iconic Harry Potter film series, and has been a popular attraction for fans of the whimsical, magical series.
Luckily, if you’re on the other side of the world in Japan, you’ll soon get your chance to explore the Making of Harry Potter, too! A brand new Warner Bros. Studio Tours–The Making of Harry Potter is opening in Tokyo in 2023, and they’ve just unveiled its website, as well as a promotional video for it!
The video comes in Japanese and English-narrated versions, both of which share more or less the same information. The English version features the voice-over talents of Japanese celebrity Harry Sugiyama, while the Japanese version is narrated by the voice actor who played Harry in the Japanese dub of the films, Kensho Ono.
While the video only contains promotional footage from the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, it gives you an idea of what to expect from the Tokyo location. Though the exhibition is going to be situated on the site of the former amusement park Toshimaen in Nerima Ward in western Tokyo, there aren’t going to be any rides or shows. Instead, the site, which covers about 30,000 square meters (about 322,917 square feet), will be a walk-through museum, which representatives believe will take about half a day to tour.
Realistic, life-size sets; props on display; various restaurants and cafes serving tasty-looking food, some from the world of Harry Potter; and even educational classes on filmmaking, prop and set design, and costume makeup are some of the attractions we can expect to see at the Tokyo site. It also promises entirely new experiences, including exhibitions about the newer Fantastic Beasts films, so it’ll be well worth visiting even if you’ve already been to the London Tour!
The official website is still somewhat bare–there are no maps or photos yet, since the complex is likely still under construction. But it does include a small FAQ section, a description of the exhibition, a delineation of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo’s principles, and a contact form where you can submit questions. Everything is available in both English and Japanese.
The “Principles” section is where you can find the most new information. There are four major principles listed: “Secure green space and protect the environment”, “Job creation and revitalization for local economy”, “Securing safety and security to the neighbourhood”, and “Secure evacuation site and disaster prevention support”. These are commendable pledges that indicate the Studios’ intentions to support the local area and its economy.
But for Harry Potter fans, the most interesting tidbit of information is under “Job creation and revitalization for local economy”:
“Plans are underway with Seibu Railways to develop ‘Wizarding World’ theming from Ikebukuro Station to Toshimaen Station to revitalise the locations and attract more people to use this line.”
Does this mean that we can expect Harry Potter-themed trains and stations, and perhaps even Harry Potter music train chimes in 2022 and 2023? Let’s hope so!
There’s still no information about pricing, although we do know that tickets will be sold on a time-slot reservation system, much like the Ghibli Museum, to prevent overcrowding of the facility and local public transport. The exhibition is slated to be open in the first half of 2023, so hopefully we’ll get more and more information as we get closer to the date!
Related: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo–Making of Harry Potter, YouTube/Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo website
Source: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo–Making of Harry Potter, YouTube/Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo via Netlab
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: YouTube/Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo
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