Everything you need to know: Visiting teamLab Planets Tokyo with Kids

You’ve never seen an art museum like this! Welcome to teamLab Planets Tokyo, a mind-blowing interactive digital art museum by the Japanese digital art collective teamLab. This highly tactile and immersive experience offers four exhibition spaces that host seven large-scale artworks. teamLab refers to these as “body-immersive” works, and that’s because they truly are. Visitors are required to explore the museum barefoot (yes, barefoot!) and there are certain rooms where you find yourself knee deep in water. 

Creatively inspiring, unforgettable and mesmerizing, I promise you it’s unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. The best part? It’s great for all ages.  Read on as we showcase what to expect when visiting phenomenon teamLab Planets Tokyo with Kids. 

teamLab Planets Tokyo: What to Expect

The teamLab Planets experience is a walk-through exhibition with timed entry. The timing only applies to the entry itself, once you enter you may take as long as you wish in each of the experiences. Maze-like, dark hallways lead guests to wide-open, spectacular spaces. There is a path to follow in order, and helpful staff members are stationed around the experience to help guide you and answer any questions.

The experience revolves around interactive exhibits that allow visitors to immerse themselves in a world of art and technology. The exhibits are not just visual, but also auditory, tactile, and even olfactory, allowing visitors to engage with their senses in a new way.

teamLab Planets is to be enjoyed barefoot, and you will need to remove your socks and shoes. Free locker usage is provided for you to keep your belongings. We suggest wearing pants that can easily be “rolled up” for the water exhibits. As there are many reflective surfaces it is also suggested to not wear a dress or skirt. More helpful tips on getting the most out of your visit at the end of this article!

teamLab Planets Tokyo – Experience Highlights

teamLab Planets Tokyo is a one-of-a-kind digital art museum with interactive exhibits that engage all the senses. Curious as to what you can expect in the experience? A few room highlights below:

Enter the Black Hole

One of the first rooms  in the experience is Soft Black Hole, a dark room full of mountains and hills that change with peoples weight. When trying to walk, your foot will sink, as it’s affected and changed by the weight of people’s bodies. It’s a bumpy lumpy mission to the other side, and a fun ride. 

Mesmerizing World of Water

One of the highlights of teamLab Planets Tokyo is the Water Surface Infinity exhibit, where visitors enter a world of water. The water is about 1 ½ feet deep. As you walk through the exhibit, digital Koi fish will appear. Their movement is influenced by the presence of people – watch them closely! As they collide with people they turn into flowers and scatter.  Watching the fish and flowers swim around you is a mesmerizing and magical experience.

The Infinite Crystal Universe

Like walking into a diamond!  In this experience teamLab suspended 60,000 LEDs in three-dimensional space, creating a dazzling appearance of infinite light beams. Each of the beams are interactive and responds to the movements of the visitor. This glittering mirrored enclave of infinitecrystals is breathtaking, and one of our favorites within the experience. 

The Balloon Room

The space is filled with “balloon like” spheres of free floating light. Visitors enter the space and find a path surrounding the spheres. When the spheres change color, the space itself shifts between a collection of spheres forming a three-dimensional space and a flat color wall. There are several spheres that control the color – be sure to tap these to see the change of light.

The Floating Flower Garden

This floating flower garden consists of a three-dimensional mass of flowers (yes, they are real!) that hangs from the ceiling. Even more – these flowers move and float up above visitors, creating space.  Because of this, people are able to freely wander around in the flower area.

The flowers in this artwork are orchids, which are able to grow without soil by absorbing water from the air. The flowers are alive, growing, and blooming with each passing day. It’s as beautiful as it is fascinating – this exhibit will take your breath away.

teamLab Planets with Kids: Tips for Visiting

• Age Recommendation: teamLab Planets is highly immersive and engaging, and a perfect experience for all ages! Children under 3 years old are complimentary with a paid adult admission. We saw children of all ages during our visit.
• Stroller and Carriers: Baby carrier products are accepted inside the exhibition, but strollers are not permitted. There is ample stroller parking outside theteamLab building, where you can lock the stroller with a wire key. 
• Room Preparation: It is important to know that some rooms are dark and a couple rooms have water covering the floors. While children are allowed it’s very important to hold hands and watch children carefully. 
• Clothing: teamLab Planets is to be enjoyed barefoot, which means it is required to remove your socks and shoes. We suggest wearing pants that can easily be “rolled up” for the water exhibits. As there are many reflective surfaces it is also suggested to not wear a dress or skirt.
• Lockers: Free locker usage is provided for you to keep your belongings. There are also umbrella lockers.
• Water Questions: Water can reach knee height on adults, plan accordingly! This is a walk-through experience – no swimming allowed. There is chlorine in the weather to keep it sanitary (and the levels are measured once every hour). There are towels provided at the exit of the water area so you may dry off. 
• Didn’t wear the right clothing? No worries! Free rental shorts are available. Sizes from adult XS to 6L. (No childrens sizes.)
• Not into water, or want to skip an exhibition? Detour routes are available, just ask the staff. 
• Time Needed for Visit: Varies greatly! Suggest allocating at least 1 hour – we were there for over 2 1/2 hours when we visited (there’s no limit of time to stay inside).
• Photography: Is fine (and encouraged!) in all installations. Using a monopod, tripod, or selfie stick is not allowed.
• Hungry? Vegan Ramen UZU Tokyo – A vegan ramen restaurant from Kyoto, is stationed outside the Teamlab entry in a separate building (no ticket needed to visit). The restaurant serves ramen, Vegan ice cream, and a variety of teas. Visitors can eat vegan ramen in the art spaces Reversible Rotation – Non-Objective Space and Table of Sky and Fire, or at the One Stroke Bench.

team Lab Planets Tokyo