The teamLab Borderless is a must-visit when in Tokyo. It is one of the most “Instagrammable spots” in Tokyo. Simply put, it is a combination of lights and audio that will make you forget the outside world. It feels like stepping into a fantasy. The whole exhibition is very interactive, and everyone will enjoy it.
What is teamLab in Japan?
It is a magical mix of color, light, and sound! It is the world’s first Digital Art Museum. teamLab has been putting together temporary art exhibitions around Tokyo since its founding in 2001, and “Borderless” is its first permanent exhibit. And they did a pretty good job here!
Borderless opened in June 2018, claiming the title of the “first digital art museum in the world.” In its first year, it had over 2.3 million visitors. Yes, you read it right. 2.3 million visitors!
There are a lot of people working to make the magic happen. teamLab is an international art collective, a group of specialists such as artists, programmers, engineers, CG animators, mathematicians, and architects.
It is a truly unique audio-visual experience unlike anything else in the world. More than 500 computers and 470 projectors are in use.
Where is teamLab in Japan?
Address: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM: teamLab Borderless Odaiba Palette Town 2F, 1-3-8 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan
How many teamLabs are there in Tokyo?
There are 2 Teamlab digital art exhibitions in Tokyo: Teamlab Borderless and Teamlab Planets.
Is teamLab Borderless worth visiting?
Absolutely! No more comments are needed. In case you are in Tokyo, then go! And it’s a great activity to do during winter to escape the cold or during a hot summer day to escape hot. For us, it was an escape on a rainy day.
It is unlike anything else in the world.
The museum is divided into 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.
Tickets to teamLab Borderless
The museum is one of the most popular attractions in Tokyo and sells out almost every day, so it’s essential to reserve tickets in advance. In case you decide to purchase a ticket on the spot, which is possible, beware. There might be a long line, and it can happen the tickets will be sold out.
Buy tickets online here – link.
If the website has no tickets for sale, there will be no tickets at the door either.
You buy tickets for a specific day, but there are no assigned entry times – ticket holders can visit at any time during the museum opening hours.
ADMISSION
- Adults (18 Years and above): JPY 3,200
- Junior high school / High school: JPY 2,000
- Children (Ages 4-12): JPY 1,000
- Under 3 years of age: free entry
- Penguins: free entry
- Disability discount: JPY 1,600
To ensure ticket prices didn’t change, check out their website here – link.
Opening Hours to teamLab Borderless
- Weekdays: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Weekends and holidays: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
The last entry is 1 hour before closing. During busier times of the year, hours may be extended; check their website here – link.
What time is best to visit teamLab Borderless?
As I recommend, with every museum and indoor attraction – go when it opens! We visited first thing in the morning when the museum opened, and it was the best decision. It can get crowded later, and when it opens, you have an excellent chance to take the best pictures with some rooms empty of people.
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 out of rooms, blending seamlessly together.
As mentioned, come early. Because the museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tokyo, it is also one of the most popular spots for people seeking Instagram photos. Visiting early means you will avoid the queues. When it’s packed, it can happen you have to wait 20-30 minutes to get into a room.
Don’t bring a big bag. You can’t bring any big bags inside, and everything bigger than 50 cm needs to be locked up in the lockers provided. The lockers cost 100 ¥.
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 have mirrored floors, which are cool and create an incredible effect, but if you wear a skirt, it can become uncomfortable for you. And wear comfortable shoes. You will be waddling a lot.
Have a snack before. You will be waddling for at least two hours, but it can be longer. Make sure not to come hungry.
Study the room and have a plan. Make a plan to make the most out of the experience and not wander around aimlessly. We did waddle around the first half aimlessly 😅 and it was fun, but it would have been better with a plan.
You can download their app for a better experience.
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 make your art come alive. You have to draw anything you want and then give it to the staff that will scan it, and the projection of your art will come alive in the room. This we enjoyed very much!
Another among our favorite rooms was where you influenced the projection. It’s a game you play. It was a lot of fun.
You create various barriers or bridged, and the projection reacts immediately. We initially didn’t even want to enter the room, but when we did, we spent most of the time there.
We enjoyed this room the most, although it wasn’t the most beautiful.
May you have a magical experience at teamLab Borderless as we had.