Buying tickets and getting in
Many visitors buy tickets online, but you may still need the ticket counter for changes, annual passes or questions. Ticket prices are commonly split into adult, junior and child bands, so be ready to say how many of each.
If you plan to leave the park for lunch or to drop bags at a hotel, ask about re-entry before you go out. Parks handle it differently.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| チケット売り場はどこですか。 | Chiketto uriba wa doko desu ka. | Where is the ticket counter? |
| 大人二枚、子ども一枚お願いします。 | Otona nimai, kodomo ichimai onegaishimasu. | Two adults and one child, please. |
| 再入場できますか。 | Sai-nyūjō dekimasu ka. | Can we re-enter the park? |
| このチケットで入れますか。 | Kono chiketto de hairemasu ka. | Can I get in with this ticket? |
| 年間パスポート | nenkan pasupōto | Annual pass |
| 入場ゲート | nyūjō gēto | Entrance gate |
Reading the wait-time board
Wait-time boards and apps use very compact Japanese. The number is easy; the status words around it are what tell you whether it is worth walking across the park.
A ride can be temporarily paused for weather or checks, closed for the whole day, or still running but no longer letting new people join the line. That last one catches visitors out in the evening.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 待ち時間 | machi-jikan | Waiting time |
| 六十分待ち | rokujuppun machi | A 60-minute wait |
| 一時休止 | ichiji kyūshi | Temporarily paused |
| 運休 | unkyū | Not operating today |
| 案内終了 | annai shūryō | No longer accepting guests into the line |
| 最後尾 | saikōbi | The end of the queue |
Timed tickets and reservations
Some attractions use numbered tickets or time-slot reservations instead of, or as well as, a normal queue. The system and its name vary between parks, so rather than learning a brand name, learn the general words and ask how it works on the day.
The key questions are where to get the ticket, what time you should come back, and whether the whole group needs to be there when you collect it.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 整理券 | seiriken | A numbered ticket for a later time |
| 整理券はどこでもらえますか。 | Seiriken wa doko de moraemasu ka. | Where can I get a numbered ticket? |
| この時間に戻ってくればいいですか。 | Kono jikan ni modotte kureba ii desu ka. | Should we come back at this time? |
| 全員いないともらえませんか。 | Zen'in inai to moraemasen ka. | Does everyone need to be here to get one? |
| 予約はアプリでできますか。 | Yoyaku wa apuri de dekimasu ka. | Can we reserve in the app? |
Height limits and ride rules
Rules are posted at the entrance to each ride: minimum height, age limits, and health notices for people who are pregnant or have heart or back conditions. Staff check height with a measuring post before you join the queue.
You will also be told where to leave bags and whether glasses, hats or phones must be secured. The notices use formal language, but the key words repeat across every park.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 身長制限 | shinchō seigen | Height restriction |
| 百二十センチ以上 | hyaku-nijussenchi ijō | 120 cm and above |
| 妊娠中の方はご遠慮ください。 | Ninshin-chū no kata wa go-enryo kudasai. | Pregnant guests should not ride. |
| 手荷物はこちらに置いてください。 | Tenimotsu wa kochira ni oite kudasai. | Please leave your bags here. |
| このアトラクションは何歳から乗れますか。 | Kono atorakushon wa nansai kara noremasu ka. | From what age can children ride this? |
| 子どもと一緒なら乗れますか。 | Kodomo to issho nara noremasu ka. | Can a child ride if an adult is with them? |
Questions for staff around the park
Staff are trained to help and will usually walk you to the right place if they can. A short sumimasen followed by one clear question works better than a long explanation.
Parade times, rain policies and meal areas change by season, so these questions are worth asking even if you checked online the night before.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| パレードは何時からですか。 | Parēdo wa nanji kara desu ka. | What time does the parade start? |
| 雨の日も営業していますか。 | Ame no hi mo eigyō shite imasu ka. | Is it open on rainy days? |
| ベビーカーを借りられますか。 | Bebīkā o kariraremasu ka. | Can we rent a stroller? |
| コインロッカーはありますか。 | Koin rokkā wa arimasu ka. | Are there coin lockers? |
| ここで食べてもいいですか。 | Koko de tabete mo ii desu ka. | Is it okay to eat here? |
Lost children and lost items
Crowded parks are where families get separated. Any staff member can start a search, and most parks have a lost-child centre. Give age, gender, clothing and the last place you saw them, in that order.
Lost phones and bags go to a lost-and-found counter. Describe the item simply: colour, type, and one distinguishing detail such as a case or keyring.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 子どもとはぐれてしまいました。 | Kodomo to hagurete shimaimashita. | I have become separated from my child. |
| 五歳の男の子で、青い帽子をかぶっています。 | Gosai no otoko no ko de, aoi bōshi o kabutte imasu. | He is a five-year-old boy wearing a blue hat. |
| 迷子センター | maigo sentā | Lost-child centre |
| スマホを落としました。 | Sumaho o otoshimashita. | I have lost my phone. |
| 落とし物はどこに届きますか。 | Otoshimono wa doko ni todokimasu ka. | Where are lost items taken? |
The Report a Lost Wallet mission in Unihongo trains exactly this skill: describing an item and answering follow-up questions calmly, which transfers directly to a park counter.