Visiting Toei Studio Park in Uzumasa felt like stepping straight into a living film set, where Kyoto’s old streets, samurai dramas, and pop-culture displays all blend into one immersive experience. The park is designed around Edo-period townscapes, but it also has a playful, modern side with themed attractions, costume experiences, and movie-related exhibits that make it feel more like a world you enter than a park you simply tour.

Toei Kyoto Studio Park opened in 1975 as a bold move by Toei to revive interest in period dramas and protect the studio’s future during a difficult time for the Japanese film industry. The concept worked: the park became Japan’s first theme park where visitors could watch live jidaigeki filming, and it quickly drew huge crowds in its early days. In 2026, it began a major renewal and adopted the name Uzumasa Kyoto Village, reflecting its shift toward a more immersive Edo-era experience for both families and adult visitors.

What made my visit memorable was how varied the park felt. One moment I was walking through quiet, wooden streets and old-style neighborhoods, and the next I was seeing giant anime and tokusatsu figures, costume displays, ninja settings, and studio spaces that revealed the park’s connection to Japanese entertainment history. It felt like a place where Kyoto’s past is not only preserved, but actively performed and reimagined every day.