Osaka January 2015 (Day 3) - Toei Uzumasa Eigamura (東映太秦映画村)

For a change, I decided to bring the family to the Toei Kyoto Studio Park theme park in Kyoto. Having visit the studio during our honeymoon about 25 years ago, we wanted to see the studio again with our children. From Osaka, we took a train to Kyoto Station and switched to the JR Sagano line for Uzumasa Station. Kyoto was covered in a heap of snow following an overnight downfall.

Uzumasa Station is located five stops from Kyoto Station. From the station, it was about 10 minutes walk to the studio along the back street of the district. See map from the Toei Studion website.

Looking across to the main station building at Uzumasa 

Poster of Toei Studio at the station

One of the train crossing on the way to the studio 

The studio is a film set and theme park, featuring a small town from the Edo Period. The park includes entire streets depicting town scenes, including a replica of the old Nihonbashi Bridge with park attendants dressed in historic costumes. In addition, the studio also features anime and Power Ranger-type characters as part of its attractions. Eigamura is open daily from 9am to 5pm (9.30am to 4pm from Dec to Feb). Admission is ¥2,200.

Side entrance to the studio

Queue line to the ticketing counter

What is a Japanese historical period theme park without the Ninja

From the side entrance, we had to make our way to the main square of the theme park. The pathway were lined with props from the Edo period. This part of the park is the Toei Studios Kyoto, a actual filming setup.

  

Some Edo era sights at the park. The park map is available at the official website.

Of course, you cannot miss the Japanese sword fighting show.

Group photograph before the show down

Moving to the sword fighting scene site

If you have younger children, there is a section dedicated to anime, the Toei Anime Museum.

  

If this is not enough, you can also see the Superhero display at Padios which is located next to the restaurant and theme park shopping complex.