Going to art galleries will never be the same after you’ve visited Planets in Tokyo, the genre-challenging digital art exhibit created by Japanese digital art group teamLab.
Located near the futuristic neighborhood of Odaiba, teamLab Planets houses seven multi-sensory, full-body immersive art displays that combine, touch, sight, sound and forward-thinking creativity to formulate an experience unlike any other. Planets completely turns the idea of what a museum or gallery is on its head. If you’re in Tokyo, this is a must-do.
From the people behind it, to what to bring and how to get there, here’s everything you need to know about experiencing the digital art wonderland that is teamLab Planets in Toyosu, near Odaiba.
What or who is teamLab?
teamLab is Japan’s most high-profile collective of digital artists and creators; they’re a self-described “interdisciplinary group of ultratechnologists whose collaborative practice seeks to navigate the confluence of art, science, technology, design and the natural world.”
The enigmatic group, which formed in 2001, is made up of creative specialists, including artists, programmers, engineers, CG animators, mathematicians and architects, who together craft boundary-pushing digital art experiences.
Photo by Carey Finn
Over the past two decades, they’ve created plenty of temporary works, but it was in 2018 that they captured the attention of the art world in a big way by opening teamLab Planets, an immersive art museum and follow-up to teamLab Borderless.
Planets is a tactile experience, with four indoor and two outdoor exhibition spaces that host different, large-scale artworks — which teamLab calls “body-immersive” works. By “body-immersive”, they really do mean immersive: you’ll explore the museum barefoot, and at times while submerged up to the knees in water (you can stash your shoes and belongings in a free locker before entering). In other moments, you’ll find yourself surrounded by hanging orchids, or giant spheres that respond to touch.
Photo by Alexandra Ziminski
The reasoning behind the concept is that, as teamLab explains, once the “boundary between the body and the artwork dissolves, the boundaries between the self, others, and the world become something continuous.” Guests are expected to engage with the works far differently than they would at a regular exhibition; more like how you may engage with the natural world.
Guinness World Record
teamLab Planets Tokyo has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the “Most Visited Museum (Single Art Group)” globally — recording a phenomenal 2,504,264 visitors between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024. This makes it the world’s number-one most-visited museum dedicated to a single artist (even though it’s a collective).
Without giving too many of the surprises away, you can expect to be barefoot, and given that many of the displays feature water, you can expect to get a little wet! You’ll wander through maze-like dark rooms that lead out into open, light-flooded displays and synchronized music. Be sure to charge that phone, because the Instagram content opportunities are abundant.
Photo by Carey Finn
Given that there’s no clearly marked pathway, you can expect to get a little lost, but this is half the fun; there’s a good chance you’ll stumble across a hidden surprise. Also, as is the way it was crafted, many of the rooms have mirrored walls and light displays that will trick your sense of space and depth of vision, so tread carefully!
On January 22, 2025, teamLab Planets Tokyo unveiled a huge new area, with over 20 new interactive artworks — aimed primarily at kids. These include the movement-oriented “Athletics Forest”, the collaborative “Future Park”, and the educational “Catching and Collecting Extinct Forest”. The art spaces have proven popular at other teamLab galleries around the globe, and are expected to be a hit in Tokyo, too.
Jump through the “Rapidly Rotating Bouncing Sphere”. | Photo by Jane Pipkin
Athletics Forest
The Athletics Forest is made up of a variety of colorful, complex, and challenging playground-like areas. You can hop, skip, jump, bounce, and slip and slide to your heart’s content.
Future Park
Unleash your own inner artist in Future Park, a section that focuses on “collaborative creation”. You can color in, sketch with special digital light pens, and even make music if you so desire.
In “Graffiti Nature” and “Sketch Umwelt World”, you can also color in a template and watch your art quite literally come to life — controlling its movements through the teamLab app on your phone. You can also turn your sketches into a T-shirt, tote bag, badge, or hand towel to take home with you.
Catching and Collecting Extinct Forest
Yuta and the creatures. | Photo by Jane Pipkin
In the “Catching and Collecting Extinct Forest”, your phone becomes a tool to capture extinct animals from the walls and ground. The animals are lifelike, and will run away if you approach or try to touch them.
Once captured, you can learn about these digital creatures, create your own collection book, and then release them back into the “wild”. For those who have trouble downloading the app, rental devices, which can be used to interact with the animals, are available just before entering the forest.
Pro tip: To save stress, we recommend downloading the offical teamLab app before your visit. Note that it can be downloaded from any region.
Other artwork
You can also enjoy other new installations, including “Autonomous Abstraction”, and “Existence in the Flow Creates Vortices”.
† Children aged 0-3 can enter free of charge. Note that prices may vary between the official website and Klook.
Best time to visit teamLab Planets
The digital art museum in Tokyo is understandably popular, so no matter what time of day you go, there will likely be a crowd. However, the space is large enough that even when it’s busy, it never feels too crowded. Each ticket also has an admission time, to help keep movement flowing, and you might be able to go in early.
Photo by Carey Finn
The museum usually opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 10:00 p.m. It is generally quietest during the first two and last two hours on weekdays, with numbers peaking at noon until just after lunch. On weekends, the spread is a little more even, with people getting there early, so weekdays are, in our opinion, best. To avoid having to line up to buy a ticket, you can select your time and date and book online via Klook.
Note: teamLab Planets is scheduled to close at the end of 2027.
What to bring and wear
A visit to Planets in Tokyo requires a little planning. Given you’ll be wading through water displays, be sure to wear shorts or pants that can easily roll up. If you are wearing a dress or skirt, be aware that some of the pieces also feature flood mirrors, so it might be best to pack something to wear under the skirt or dress to avoid flashing your underwear!
The museum does offer free loan wrap-around modesty garments if necessary, as well as shorts. They also provide towels to dry your feet.
Photo by Alexandra Ziminski
As you’ll have to take your shoes off at the entrance, it’s best to wear sneakers or slip-ons that are easy to remove, and it’s best to avoid wearing foot-covering tights because they will have to come off too. If you have any abrasions, open wounds or cuts on your feet, make sure they’re covered well, because while the water is very clean, the chlorine may sting.
Finally, make sure you’ve got something trustworthy to carry your phone in, because the last thing you want to do is hear an ominous splash! And on that note, consider downloading the teamLab app before you start exploring the exhibits — it allows you to do some pretty cool stuff while walking around … you can find details on the inside of the lockers. Ever wanted to catch a star? Now you can.
How much time to put aside
To make the most out of your visit, you’ll need a good 3 to 4 hours. This will give you time to properly experience each exhibit, revisit your favorite ones, have a bite to eat, and — of course — have fun jumping around.
Note that Planets does require a bit of additional work, taking off shoes, drying your feet, posing for the perfect shot, etc.
Photo by Carey Finn
How to book teamLab Planets tickets
You can book your tickets on Klook — they have a range of different options available, including a Premium Pass to cut through the queues, a combo shuttle bus and entry ticket for easy access from central Tokyo, and a combo Planets and Senkyaku Banrai spa ticket.
You can also book tickets via the official website.
Photo by Alexandra Ziminski
How to get to teamLab Planets Tokyo
The address is: 6-1-16 Toyosu, Koto Ward, Tokyo.
teamLab Planets is right by Shin-Toyosu Station, on the Yurikamome Line. From Shinjuku Station, take the Shinjuku Line to Ichigaya Station, then switch to the Yurakucho Line train — you can get off at Toyosu Station, from there it’s a 10-minute walk; or catch the Yurikamome Line one stop over to Shin-Toyosu Station.
There are also shuttle buses running from central Tokyo, which you can book for a fee. See more information on Klook.
Pro tip: While you’re in the area, have a whirl around the nearby Tokyo Gas Science Museum, or pop over to Toyosu Fish Market (the new Tsukiji), which is just one train stop away from Shin-Toyosu — alight at Shijo-mae Station.
What to eat at teamLab Planets
Vegan Ramen UZU Tokyo
You can get vegan ramen at teamLab Planets. | Photo by Jane Pipkin
For a one-of-a-kind dining experience, pop into Vegan Ramen UZU, a small restaurant on the grounds of teamLab Planets. We like their signature Miso Vegan Ramen (¥2,000), a limited-edition dish available only at the Tokyo branch (there’s another store in Kyoto). Miso, kelp, shiitake mushrooms, and creamy oat milk build a rich, umami-packed broth. For dessert, we recommend the (also vegan) ice cream. Something fun — as you eat, dynamic digital calligraphy will dance around your food.
Note: You can eat at Vegan Ramen UZU without entering teamLab Planets.
The “Orchid Glass House”
Glowing drinks at the “Orchid Glass House”. | Photo by Jane Pipkin
Although a separate entity, the “Orchid Glass House” is located in the same building as Vegan Ramen UZU. Seating only six people at a time, the small teahouse serves green tea, juice, and sake, surrounded by regrown orchids from the “Floating Flower Garden” installation.
As each drink is poured, it comes to life with a gentle glow. You can take control of the lighting within the space, by simply lifting your glass.
While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. Post first published in January, 2020. Last update: January, 2025, by Jane Pipkin.
