Participants take part in the countdown event before the departure of the Studio Tour Tokyo Express at Seibu Ikebukuro Station on the morning of September 1 in Toshima Ward, Tokyo. (©Sankei by Hayato Narita)
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The annual Harry Potter event Back to Hogwarts was held on September 1, celebrating the start of a new school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In 2025, the festivities took place at both Seibu Ikebukuro Station in Toshima Ward and Warner Bros Studio Tour Tokyo in Nerima Ward for the first time.
Since opening in 2023, Studio Tour Tokyo has marked this date with special performances. These include a recreation of the iconic scene where Harry Potter and his friends board the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9¾ in London's King's Cross Station. For fans, the day has become a cherished tradition.
A Magical Train Ride
In 2025, for the first time, the celebration expanded beyond the studio. With the cooperation of Seibu Railway, Seibu Ikebukuro Station hosted its own event. After a countdown replicating the train's departure, participants boarded the Studio Tour Tokyo Express at 11 AM, the symbolic "departure time."
The specially decorated Seibu 20000-series charter train, making its debut, took participants to the Studio Tour. They relived the story and enjoyed an exclusive menu celebrating the start of the Hogwarts school year.
David Biedenbach, who participated with his wife and 8-year-old son from Setagaya Ward, said, "My son is a huge Harry Potter fan. The charter train ride and seeing all the fans in costume were especially memorable."
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Author: Hayato Narita, The Sankei Shimbun
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