A month ahead of the opening of Tokyo’s very own Harry Potter attraction, known officially as the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Seibu Railways has unveiled the transformation of two Tokyo train stations. Toshimaen Station and Ikebukuro Station now both have a splash of fictional London in them, along with some details that give a nod to the Harry Potter franchise. Here’s a first look at what you can expect in transit.
The studio tour is on the site of the former Toshimaen amusement park, so Toshimaen Station has received the full Wizarding World treatment. On May 16, a new two-storey structure built into the original station was opened, along with a dark red train platform reminiscent of Hogsmeade train station, where the Hogwarts Express ends its journey.
Over by the station’s entrance, you’ll find sculptures of a stag and doe, representing patronuses, or advanced spells that take the shape of animals. Look towards the second floor of the station building and you’ll see a new LED screen depicting elements of the enchanted universe like the flying Golden Snitch from Quidditch matches.
Ikebukuro Station also got a magical makeover, albeit a smaller one. As people frequently pass through to get to Toshimaen via Seibu’s Toshima line, platform one was renovated to look like the platform nine and three-quarters referenced in the Harry Potter series, where Hogwarts pupils are waved off by their parents at the beginning of every school term. New installations include analogue clocks modelled on the ones seen in the films.
The new Warner Bros. Studio Tour will open on June 16 2023. See our latest guide for the upcoming attraction for information on the experience and how to get tickets.
This article was originally published on March 29 2022 and updated on May 18 2023.
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