How to Visit teamLab Borderless Tokyo: Tips for First-Timers

When we planned our Tokyo trip, we had already booked our tickets for teamLab Borderless well in advance. As it turned out, the day of our visit came with heavy Tokyo rain, the kind that soaks you through in seconds. Luckily, this made our timing perfect. Instead of battling umbrellas and puddles, we stepped into a world of glowing lights, shifting colors, and immersive sounds. The museum felt like a fantasy realm where the outside storm didn’t exist, and every corner invited us to interact, explore, and lose ourselves in the art. Read on to learn everything you need before your visit.

What is teamLab in Tokyo

teamLab Borderless is a magical mix of color, light, and sound! Imagine walking into a space where walls dissolve into light, colors swirl around you, and sounds fill the whole room with life. That’s teamLab Borderless — the world’s first Digital Art Museum. Before opening this permanent spot, teamLab had been wowing Tokyo with temporary exhibitions since 2001, but Borderless is where everything finally came together. And honestly? They nailed it.

When it opened in June 2018, it quickly became the place everyone wanted to see. In just one year, over 2.3 million people visited. Yes, 2.3 million! And after stepping inside, it’s easy to see why — it’s not just art on a wall, it’s an experience you actually become part of.

Behind the magic of teamLab Borderless is a whole collective of creative minds working together. teamLab is an international art group comprising specialists from various fields — including artists, programmers, engineers, CG animators, mathematicians, and architects. Each brings their own expertise, and together they create the kind of immersive worlds that leave you wondering how it’s all even possible.

How many teamLabs are there in Tokyo

Tokyo is home to two teamLab digital art exhibitions: Teamlab Borderless and Teamlab Planets.

teamLab Borderless vs. teamLab Planets

Many often wonder whether Borderless or Planets is better; the answer depends on what kind of experience you are looking for.

If time allows, both are incredible. If you have to choose just one:

• Pick Borderless for scale and variety.
• Select planets for immersive and wow-factor experiences.

Is teamLab Borderless worth visiting?

Absolutely! No doubt about it. If you’re in Tokyo, go! It’s the perfect activity year-round: a cozy escape from the winter chill, a cool refuge on hot summer days, or, in our case, the ideal way to spend a rainy afternoon. It is unlike anything else in the world.

Tickets to teamLab Borderless

The museum is one of Tokyo’s most popular attractions, and tickets sell out almost daily, so reserving in advance is essential. While same-day tickets are sometimes available at the door, be prepared for long lines — and don’t be surprised if they’re already sold out. We bought tickets online just to ensure entry.  

You buy tickets for a specific day, but there are no assigned entry times; you can visit at any time during the museum’s opening hours. 

No Re-Entry Policy. Once you exit the museum, you can’t go back inside on the same ticket. Plan accordingly — use the restroom, store your belongings, and finish exploring before heading out.

Admission Prices

• • • Adults (18+): From ¥3,800 (prices may vary by date due to dynamic pricing, and an additional ¥200 may be added for on-site purchases)
    • Teens (13–17): ¥2,800 
    • Children (4–12): ¥1,500 
    • Under 3 years old: Free 
    • Disability Discount: From ¥1,900
    • Penguins: free entry

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What time is best to visit teamLab Borderless

As with any popular museum or indoor attraction, our advice is simple: go right when it opens. We visited teamLab Borderless first thing in the morning, and it turned out to be the best decision. Later in the day, the museum fills up quickly, but arriving early gave us the chance to enjoy the exhibits with fewer people around and even snap photos in some rooms that were almost empty — a rare treat in such a popular spot.

Waddling around teamLab Borderless

There are 50 designated art displays, but you wouldn’t notice that many. That’s because the 10,000-square-meter space is divided into five zones, and many artworks move freely between rooms, blending seamlessly together.

As mentioned, come early. Because the museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tokyo, it is also a highly sought-after spot for people seeking Instagram-worthy photos. Visiting early means you will avoid the queues. When it’s packed, you may have to wait 20-30 minutes to get into a room. 

The five zones:

• Borderless World, where the digital installation artworks are constantly in flux, rendered in real-time, changing and transforming in response to people. 
• Athletics Forest is a space dedicated to exploring. This is the part where you get sweaty and get to jump, slide, bounce, climb, and more. 
• Future Park is an experimental field for collaborative creation. Here your art comes to life.  
• Forest of Lamps, an infinity room filled with motion-sensitive lamps. This is the most magical part. 
• EN Tea House, where flowers bloom in your teacup. 

Don’t bring a big bag. You can’t bring any large bags inside, and all items larger than 50 cm must be stored in the provided lockers. The lockers cost 100 ¥.

Lockers are available inside the museum, but they’re designed for smaller items rather than full-sized luggage. Large suitcases won’t fit, so if you’re arriving straight from the airport or train station, it’s best to store your bags elsewhere beforehand. The lockers are perfect for storing backpacks, handbags, and coats, and you can also lock away your umbrella — very handy on rainy days in Tokyo.

What to wear? I recommend white or pale colors. This way you can become part of the exhibition. It can become more fun. Another thing, avoid skirts. Some exhibitions feature mirrored floors, which are cool and create an incredible effect, but wearing a skirt can become uncomfortable. And wear comfortable shoes. You will be waddling a lot. 

Have a snack before you go. You’ll be waddling around for at least two hours (often longer), so don’t arrive hungry.

Study the rooms and make a plan. The museum has no set route, and while wandering can be fun (we did exactly that for the first half 😅), having a plan helps you make the most of your time and ensures you don’t miss your favorite installations.

Download the app. The official teamLab app (available on both iOS and Android) adds extra context to the installations and makes the experience even more interactive.

The entire exhibition is built to be touched. It is very interactive! Make sure to enjoy it to the fullest, enjoy each room, and try it out. The interactive rooms were our favorite ones. 

Two rooms will bring your art to life. You have to draw anything you want and then give it to the staff, who will scan it, and the projection of your art will come alive in the room. We enjoyed this very much!

Other Facilities at teamLab Borderless

• Restrooms. Available inside the museum and easy to find when you need a quick break.
• Café. There’s no full café inside, but you can enjoy a tea experience at the EN Tea House, where flowers bloom in your cup. For more food options, several cafés and restaurants are just steps away in Odaiba.

Photography Tips at teamLab Borderless

• Best Rooms for Photos. Don’t miss the Forest of Lamps and Crystal World — they’re the most photogenic spots.
• No Tripods or Flashes. Regular cameras and phones are fine, but leave tripods, selfie sticks, and flashes at home.
• Photo Hack – What to Wear. White or pale-colored clothes reflect the light beautifully and make you look like part of the art.
• Boost Brightness. Increase your phone’s exposure a little to capture more detail in dark rooms.
• Steady Hands. Hold your phone still (or use burst mode) to minimize blur in low-light conditions.
• Use Night/Low-Light Mode. Most modern phones have this — it helps capture sharper shots in dim environments.
• Switch to Wide Angle. Great for capturing the scale of rooms like Borderless World or Crystal World.
• Shoot Short Videos. Some artworks move and transform — videos or even slow-motion clips can look stunning.

Nearby Attractions in Odaiba

Make the most of your trip by exploring Odaiba, as there’s plenty to see just steps from teamLab Borderless.

• Palette Town’s Giant Ferris Wheel.  Spot the museum entrance right beneath it, then ride up for sweeping views of Tokyo Bay.
• Odaiba Seaside Park. Stroll along the waterfront, enjoy views of Rainbow Bridge, and snap a photo with the quirky Statue of Liberty replica.
• Shopping & Entertainment. Head to Aqua City or DiverCity for dining, shopping, and the life-sized Gundam statue that comes alive with light shows.

With so much nearby, you can easily turn your visit into a half-day or full-day Odaiba adventure.

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We truly enjoyed our visit to teamLab Borderless, and the three hours we spent there went by in what felt like minutes. It’s the kind of place where time disappears as you wander from one glowing world to another. Take plenty of pictures, you’ll want to remember the magic, but don’t forget to pause, breathe, and be in the moment. The experience will stay with you long after you’ve left the museum.

May you have a magical experience at teamLab Borderless as we did.

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