Is teamLab Borderless Worth It in Tokyo? Essential Tips for Visiting
Is teamLab Borderless worth it? While their incredible digital art museums are some of the most sought-after by foreign visitors to Japan, teamLab experiences have become so popular that trying to secure tickets and crowds can lead to disappointment! But is Borderless worth the hype?
For context, I’ve visited teamLab Borderless Tokyo twice: Once at its old location in Odaiba and again recently in its new location in Azabudai Hills. On my first visit, I did have second thoughts, with worries it would be full of influencers trying to strike a pose. For my second, I was expecting a new-and-improved experience.
My curiosity got the better of me each time, so I bit the bullet and went – and was surprised at the outcome of both visits…
This quick guide to visiting teamLab Borderless in Tokyo shares what to expect, how it’s changed, tips to avoid crowds where possible and provides insights to help you decide whether visiting will be worth it for you. Read on for more!
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Is teamLab Borderless worth it in Tokyo?
In my honest truth, teamLab Borderless was worth it for me at the old location… but now… no, I don’t think teamLab Borderless is worth it at the new location. I’ll explain why I feel this way, and also how it may still be worth it for you down the page.
Why it wasn’t worth it for me the second time around? At its new larger location in Azabudai Hills, I was expecting it to be bigger and better than Odaiba. Unfortunately, things that impressed me previously had been completely omitted, which was disappointing!
I’d say it may be worth it for you only on a few conditions. So these are my essential tips to help you decide if teamLab Borderless will be worth it for you!
Tips for making a teamLab Borderless visit worth it for you
First, here are some differences I observed between teamLab Azabudai Hills and Odaiba:
- No second floor now, it’s all one flat space.
- Rooms are much larger, which is great for not feeling as crammed with visitors, but somehow feels less immersive.
- There are scents in fewer rooms than before.
- Hallways are much wider than before and less maze-like.
- The Bird Nest floor net room is no longer, only a projection of a flying bird in smoke.
Reasons to consider visiting or not when you’re in Tokyo Japan:
- Tokyo’s teamLab Borderless exhibition may be worth it for you if it’s your first time in Japan and you’ve never experienced teamLab elsewhere.
- If you visited the old location in Odaiba, I’d suggest skipping the new location in Azabudai Hills.
- If you’ve visited teamLab in Singapore, it’s now quite similar to this on a larger scale, so may not be worthwhile in Tokyo.
With that said — If it’s your first time and you’re keen to see what it’s all about, here’s what I recommend doing to make the visit worth it for you.
Book your teamLab Borderless tickets up to 8 weeks in advance
To avoid missing out on your preferred date and time, don’t wait to book your tickets. Lock it in as soon as you know the dates of your Tokyo trip.
TIP: Read my 5-6 day Tokyo itinerary to see how to incorporate teamLab into your visit!
Even one month before, tickets are likely to sell out as they are limited. Each visit, I booked mine 8 weeks almost to the day in advance and had no issues.
To avoid some issues using foreign credit cards on the official teamLab website, you can book through Klook. I personally use them to book many tickets in Japan.
Do know the best time to visit teamLab Borderless
The best time to go to teamLab Borderless? Either arrive first thing when it opens, or late in the afternoon/evening to avoid most of the crowds. Take advantage of the longer hours.
TIP: teamLab Borderless opening hours: 9:00am until 21:00 (last entry is 20:00).
In saying that, in Odaiba I arrived at 45 minutes before opening. About 20 minutes before opening we were allowed through the doors, then in groups of about 20 people were able to proceed into the exhibition after watching a short introductory video.
On my second visit, I booked tickets for 9:00am. I arrived 15 mins early and they wouldn’t allow me in. On entry, it was still possible to wait a moment or two to take photos without other people in them.
On both visits, when I left the exhibitions one and 2.5 hours later, the rooms were much busier, and near impossible to take photos without others in them. The test about arriving first thing for a less-crowded experience rings true for both locations.
No large bags, umbrellas or backpacks are allowed
On entry, there is a locker room filled with lockers and umbrella stands so you will need to leave your things there during your visit.
You’ll need a 100 yen coin to secure the locker, and the key can be worn as a bracelet. The deposit is returned once you leave. Umbrellas require a number combination to lock and unlock.
No food is permitted inside but there are vending machines in dedicated rest areas where you can grab a drink or snack.
Don’t miss En Tea House
Allow some time to enjoy a traditional bowl of cold brew green tea for JPY 600 in the teamLab Borderless tea house. This is a fun and unique idea, with other tea options and matcha ice cream on offer.
At your table, the tea bowl will be transformed into an interactive artwork each time you take a sip. Flowers will bloom as long as there is tea! It’s a really cool experience.
Allow around 1-2 hours to explore the exhibition
During my first visit, because there was no map it took longer than I thought! I was through the exhibition in 2.5 hours.
I found I kept returning to the same rooms a few times as all light projections on the walls and inside the rooms change around every 20 minutes. This made it easy to confuse what I had already seen and what I hadn’t.
So how long does teamLab Borderless take now? To contrast, in Azabudai Hills the layout no longer feels as confusing and I completed all the rooms in around one hour. It seemed like there was less to see than before.
Know in advance the rooms you don’t want to miss
It may be a good idea to have images of the rooms you want to visit already saved on your phone. As mentioned earlier, it can be tricky to find some of the rooms at Borderless because there is no *official* floor map.
I did have to ask the staff where I could find some rooms and En Tea House. Having a photo on my phone helped to show them what I was looking for and saved me some time.
TIP: For Azabudai Hills, I found this teamLab Borderless map via Facebook that helped locate the rooms, feel free to use it if you don’t want to miss anything!
Make sure you wear enclosed shoes
Some of the flooring is uneven (the open floor room named The Nest from Odaiba is no longer here though), so sandals are not permitted. You may be denied entry into some areas unless you have the correct shoes.
At Planets, there is a section where visitors can wade through lukewarm water with playful fish light projections. Personally I’m not so keen on that so haven’t visited Planets, but it is possible to skip the water if you prefer.
Wear white clothing if you can
For cool photos and to see the neon lights dancing on your clothes in some rooms, white or light colours are best.
And ladies, you may want to wear shorts or pants because some floors are mirrors. You won’t want people being able to see up your skirt!
How to get to the new teamLab Borderless Tokyo
teamLab Borderless is now located within the MORI Building Digital Art Museum near Tokyo Tower, Azabudai Hills. This opened in February 2024. The old exhibition space in Odaiba, Tokyo Bay closed in August 2022.
Just pop in “Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza” or “teamLab Borderless” into Google Maps and it will help you navigate there.
Nearest stations to teamLab Borderless
- 2 mins walk from Kamiyacho Station on the Hibiya Metro line (the signage is not obvious from street level. The entry into garden Plaza B is directly opposite the 7-Eleven across the street and before the footbridge).
- 11 mins walk from Roppongi-Itchome Station on the Namboku Metro line.
TIP: Read my guide to Japan train symbols in Google Maps to learn the meanings!
Other teamLab Japan experiences & beyond
If you enjoy teamLab experiences, they aren’t just in Tokyo! Here are some of their lesser-known and fascinating experiences throughout Japan which attract smaller crowds than teamLab Borderless vs Planets:
- Tokyo’s Samsung Galaxy Building in Harajuku, on level 4 — it’s free!
- teamLab Biovortex, Kyoto Prefecture
- teamLab Botanical Garden, Osaka Prefecture
- teamLab Hidden Traces of Rice Terraces, Ibaraki Prefecture
- teamLab Forest, Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu
- teamLab Ruins and Heritage: Rinkan Spa & Tea Ceremony, Takeo Onsen, Saga Prefecture, Kyushu
- teamLab Future Park, Okinawa Prefecture (read my guide to things to do in Okinawa for more)
- And there is teamLab in Singapore, too! Read all about it in my Singapore itinerary.
And this concludes my guide to whether teamLab Borderless Tokyo is worth it! Provided the conditions are met such as securing tickets for an early morning or late evening visit, and knowing what to expect in advance, I’m sure you’ll be ale to “blend in” a little better and avoid the crowds.
Don’t forget to even try visiting one of the lesser-known teamLab experiences outside of Tokyo, too!
What are your thoughts? Has this helped you decide whether teamLabs are worth it for you? Let me know in the comments below.
While you’re here, be sure to check out some of my other articles for Tokyo:
- Honest advice for where to stay in Tokyo for first-time and repeat visitors
- Shibuya Sky: Tickets and tips for the perfect experience above Tokyo
- Unreal things to do in Shibuya, day and night
- 20+ Scrumptious food tours in Tokyo you’ll love (tried-and-tested)
- How to eat your way through old town Tokyo in Yanaka Ginza
- Enjoy a Tokyo tea ceremony with a 5th generation tea master
- Learn traditional experiences from a geisha in Tokyo
- Make your own replica food souvenir in Tokyo
- (Almost) secret Tokyo hidden gems you haven’t heard of
- Iconic streets in Tokyo you need to see to believe
Feeling social? Come and join me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram for more Japan travel inspiration!
Until next time,
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We visited the new Kyoto space one week after its opening and we loved it, admittedly it’s the only one we’ve been to so far. I was astounded by how thoughtful all the planning was, someone to offer you gumboots and socks for the water rooms, your shoes literally met you on the mat on the other side. Went through a bubble room and thought to myself “I’ll have to wash my hands after this” only to exit that room into a literal hand basin room. I’ll be doing Planets in a few months when we go to Tokyo, but I think Kyoto might be a blend between Borderless and Planets.
Hi Rikki! It sounds like you experienced wonderful omotenashi during your visit! I’m so glad you enjoyed your time at teamLab Biovortex in Kyoto, and I hope you enjoy your upcoming visit to Planets in Tokyo as well 😊
Thanks so much for reading!
I went to the one in Toyosu and my experience was exactly “full of influencers trying to strike a pose”, I really didn’t enjoy it. I went on a weekday, first time slot, it didn’t make a difference. I’m always surprised about the number of blog and social media posts praising that experience, because queuing after influencers making a photoshoot in those narrow spaces is not exactly my definition of fun or interesting
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that was your experience at Planets. What a shame!
It’s annoying when influencers take so long to take their photos, always many of the same pose, without a thought for everyone around them…
I give them a brief moment but if they take longer than that, I’m not waiting 😂
I completely agree with you. What makes their time any more precious than ours? We all have other things to see and do.
I am a content creator too so I know the challenges. But the difference is I understand if I want to create, I need to work quickly AND around other people. That’s only fair for everyone 🙂
Thanks so much for reading!