teamLab Biovortex Kyoto with Kids
Last Updated on October 30, 2025 by Kay
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission on any purchases through those links at zero additional cost to you. Whatever I make goes to keeping this website running and I am forever grateful for the support. See my Privacy Policy for more information.
If you’re looking for the most kid-friendly interactive experience in Kyoto, teamLab Biovortex is it. My daughter has been to the teamLabs in Tokyo, but this one blew them out of the water. My family honestly can’t wait to go again, and I’ve been recommending it to all my friends!
teamLab Biovortex Kyoto is a blend of Tokyo’s teamLab Planets and teamLab Borderless. I feel like they took the best parts of these exhibits and added a few more to make it absolutely spectacular. It’s also the largest teamLab exhibit in Japan, spanning three floors, so I really felt like I got my money’s worth.
In this article, I’ll share what it was like to visit teamLab Biovortex Kyoto with my daughter and helpful information that all parents should know before they visit with their children.
Similar to teamLab Borderless in Tokyo, Biovortex has no map or set path because you’re meant to explore the exhibit and create your own unique experience. However, with children (especially young ones), time may not be on your side. This is why this article contains spoilers. I will share exactly where parents should head first when visiting teamLab Biovortex Kyoto with their kiddos.
If you don’t want to be spoiled, I suggest reading this article.
Table of Contents
Tips for Visiting teamLab Biovortex with Kids
The best time to visit teamLab Biovortex is right when it opens at 9 AM (usually, it’s subject to change). There are far fewer people, and you can enjoy the artwork with little to no lines.
Note that you need to purchase tickets in advance, you cannot buy them at teamLab Biovortex. If you’re lucky, you can purchase them online on the day of your visit, but it’s unlikely a morning ticket will be available.
To increase your chances of scoring early morning tickets, I suggest purchasing your tickets at least a week in advance. (Better yet, a month in advance.)
You can buy tickets online here.
Wear sneakers because there are lots of interactive rooms where kids can jump and run around. There is also a room with about 5 mm of water, which is another reason why sneakers are best to wear. Avoid sandals.
Wear black clothing, preferably with no patterns, because the projections for certain artworks will show up better on the fabric and look nicer in photos.
When you enter teamLab Kyoto, the first two rooms will be very dark. Many of the exhibits are in dark rooms as well (although not as dark since the artworks emit light). If your child is scared of dark places, I don’t recommend bringing them to teamLab Kyoto.
My Kid’s Favorite Areas at teamLab Biovortex Kyoto
The best areas for kids are undoubtedly the Athletics Forest and Future Park. These areas had all of the artwork my daughter adored, enough that after we saw everything in the exhibit, she went back! I loved it too, I felt like I was a kid again.
The Athletics Forest and Future Park are located on the second floor of teamLab Biovortex Kyoto. To get there, head to your left after you enter the first room filled with flowers projected on the walls and floors. Look for a small grey room that contains the artworks Silent Radiance Within and Memory of Waves in the Sky.
From here, you need to go up a staircase located at the right-hand corner. There is no sign for this staircase, but if you ask the staff, they will tell you where it is.
You cannot go up this staircase until 30 minutes after opening, so if you have a ticket for the first thing in the morning (9 AM), I suggest exploring other areas on the first floor before heading up.
Now, what’s confusing is that when you first go up this staircase, it will go all the way up to the third floor. You cannot stop at the second floor. You can experience the artworks on the third floor first if you like (which I’ll explain later in the article), but they’re not as geared for little kids as the second-floor ones are.
Once on the third floor, you can go down to the second floor via a staircase located near the Megaliths artwork.
Here’s what the Megaliths artwork looks like. Head to your right and you’ll find the staircase.
Once you descend, there will be a brief explanation about the Athletics Forest before you’re allowed to go inside.
Athletics Forest
One of the first things you’ll see is an artwork called Forest of Flow and Light, but you can’t go inside; it’s just for looking. But that didn’t bother me because the other artworks more than made up for it, as you’ll see below.
According to my daughter, “I liked this place because there are a lot of fun rooms!”
Note that some of the artworks are the same as teamLab Planets in Tokyo.
Graffiti Nature and Beating Earth
This was hands down my daughter’s favorite place in teamLab Kyoto.
You’ll notice some reptiles crawling along the bumpy floor. This is an ecosystem where everything (including you and your kids!) interacts with one another.
For instance, if you step on one of these reptiles, they will colorfully splatter.
And if you stand still, flowers will bloom beneath you.
There’s also a huge whale in the middle of the floor!
After your kids have had a run around and see how their actions influence what’s below them, take them to the top of this area. Here you’ll find black and white papers, each with one reptile on it, as well as many drawing stations with pastel crayons.
Kids can choose a reptile to color, and once brought to life, the reptile will interact with others. For instance, snakes will eat lizards but they’ll disappear if they don’t eat any.
Once your drawing is done, take it to a staff member who will scan it. Your drawing will come to life right underneath your feet, which is really cool.
My daughter spent quite a bit of time chasing after her lizard, whom she named Ao-kun or Mr. Blue (being careful not to step on him), and made sure to check up on him after experiencing some of the other artworks in the area.
My snake and my husband’s lizard died somehow, but when we checked about an hour later, to our daughter’s delight, her lizard had multiplied!
Make sure to keep your drawings because you can turn them into a souvenir at the souvenir shop, which I’ll share more about later on.
Multi Jumping Universe
My entire family loved this artwork.
There are only two trampolines, so my husband and I took turns going on them with our daughter. When stepping on the trampoline, a planet will appear. You need to hop on the planet to make it grow bigger and bigger before it turns into a black hole when you reach the end.
We did this at least three times because it was just that fun. But my daughter also asked me to point out that it can be hard sometimes to keep jumping and make sure the planet beneath your feet doesn’t disappear.
Rapidly Rotating Bouncing Spheres in the Catepillar House
This is not only colorful and cute, but it is also a great way to get some exercise with your kids.
For this artwork, you need to jump on bouncy spheres of a particular color to get to the other side. My daughter and I enjoyed this together, and it was loads of fun.
My daughter said she was a little scared, though, because she was worried about falling. (The spheres are soft, though, so even if you or your child does fall, it won’t hurt whatsoever.)
Aerial Climbing through a Flock of Colored Birds
Another artwork that requires you to use your body, you climb on the suspended rectangles and weave your way from one end of the course to another.
The staff asked us if we wanted to accompany our daughter (age six) when we did this for the first time. We said yes, so they directed us to the very left-hand side, where my husband could walk next to my daughter along a pathway. I decided to do the course beside my daughter.
The course is pretty easy, so my daughter got the hang of it quite quickly. When she did it a second and a third time (after lining up again), she was able to do it completely alone.
Apparently, the rectangular bars light up and make sounds when you step on them, but we only experienced this a few times. Nonetheless, it’s very fun for kids, but I would only recommend it if there isn’t a long line.
Floating Cosmic Spheres
This artwork consists of a small room with large, clear spheres that float in the air. There’s a three-minute time limit, which I think is more than enough.
My daughter really enjoyed this room, as it was fun for her to push the spheres around and up into the air. She also liked discovering how the pretty patterns appeared on them and how exactly they stayed suspended, so this is a great experience for curious little minds.
My daughter also said that this artwork reminded her of jellyfish, which is another reason why she liked it.
Waterfall Droplets and Sliding through the Fruit Field
This consists of two artworks, Waterfall Droplets and Sliding through the Fruit Field.
Note that you need to take off your shoes to experience this artwork.
First, you go up a colorful ramp with large water droplet projections cascading down.
Then, you get to go down a slide! What child wouldn’t like this?!
Three people can go down at a time, so we slid as an entire family.
If you slide over the spheres, fireworks will erupt on the slide and the walls.
I think my daughter could have done this all day, but there were other artworks to explore.
Balance Stepping Stones in the Invisible World
For this artwork, you need to cross from one side to another by stepping on square-shaped “stones”. These blocks are a little soft and they wobble, so my daughter said this was “so hard” but still fun.
The blocks closest to the entrance are for younger children, while adults use the blocks closest to the wall. Parents can accompany their kids as well.
(By the way, the floor looks like there’s water in it, but it’s completely dry, so no one will get wet doing this activity!)
Future Park
The Future Park at Kyoto has some similarities to teamLab Borderless in Tokyo, but there’s one addition that my family really enjoyed.
Sketch Ocean
This is the same as teamLab Borderless, although a tad smaller.
You can choose an aquatic creature to color, and after it’s scanned by the staff, it’ll come to life on the wall.
Have your kids touch the sea creatures to see what happens, and better yet, have them touch bags of treasure that drop down!
On the other side of Sketch Ocean, you’ll find a small room that contains three different artworks. This room is really fun for kids and another must-visit spot. I think my daughter easily could have spent the entire day in here!
A Musical Wall where Little People Live
By moving the different shapes of blocks on the walls, such as pink flowers and yellow squares, kids (and adults) can influence the environment of the little people who live there. Through this, children can learn about the Three Laws of Mechanics (inertia, motion, and action-reaction).
For instance, my daughter decided to create a massive fire where the little people walked into and then burned. She cackled. (Is my child evil?)
A Table where Little People Live
This is a great experience for kids who like cooking!
If you place a wooden frying pan over a blue flame, a fish or egg will appear and start cooking! If you have a large plate nearby, it will automatically move to it after it’s finished “cooking”.
A Window to the Universe where Little People Live
This artwork gives children permission to draw on walls!
Using different colors of huge pens, kids influence how the little people behave by drawing on the walls. Each pen color does something different, so make sure to try them all out!
Other Kid-Friendly Artworks at teamLab Biovortex Kyoto
Below, I’ll share other artworks at teamLab Biovortex Kyoto that children might enjoy.
First Floor
Flowers and People (and more)
The first area you’ll see when you go past the curtains after entering teamLab Kyoto consists of several, usually flower-related artworks projected onto the walls and floors.
Here you’ll see Flowers and People as well as Universe of Water Particles. You can interact with this artwork by touching it or simply standing still. For instance, in the image above, there’s a whirlpool forming beneath my daughter’s feet (Flow Reaches Far).
If you touch the flowers, they will break apart, as my daughter is doing above while looking at the artwork, Continuous Life and Death at the Now of Eternity.
My daughter really liked this area because the artwork is, in her words, “always changing”.
Infinite Crystal World
This is probably one of the most famous artworks at teamLab, and you can find it in Tokyo’s Borderless as well.
My daughter said she liked the lights because it was pretty and changed colors.
Forest of Resonating Lamps
My daughter said she liked this room because there were “so many lanterns!”.
The lamps will glow when you get close to them, but it might be a little boring for kids who want something more interactive, though.
Third Floor
Resonating Microcosms
In this room, kids can push ovoids. When they do so, it will make a sound and change color, causing a rippling effect where the other ovoids will respond. This is essentially the same artwork as teamLab Botanical Garden in Osaka, but it’s indoors.
My daughter said she liked this room and the ovoids because everything was so colorful.
Megaliths in the Eternal Existence of the Open Universe
This is not exactly an interactive exhibit but my daughter liked the “pretty flowers” on the megaliths.
There are also lovely rainbow-like streams of water on the moss:
As well as pretty crystals, which my daughter was excited to see.
What a Loving, and Beautiful World
Kanji characters fall from the ceiling, and if you touch them, an image associated with their meaning will appear on the wall.
For example, when my daughter touched the kanji for rain (雨), as seen in the image above, rain started “falling” on the wall.
According to my daughter, “It’s so, so fun!”
(My husband and I really enjoyed it as well!)
“Meh” Artworks (According to my Kid)
This section contains artworks at teamLab Kyoto that my daughter didn’t hate but also didn’t necessarily like.
Massless Suns and Dark Suns
For this artwork, the lights will shine when you approach it and cause the other ones to shine as well.
My daughter said this room was pretty, but she didn’t like it. When I asked her the reason, she said, “I don’t know”.
This is located on the third floor.
Silent Radiance Within
I liked this artwork, which consists of blooming flowers stretching to the ceiling, or grey waves, but according to my six-year-old, “it’s boring”.
This is located on the first floor.
Artwork That Might Not Be Best for Young Kids
Although the majority of artworks at teamLab Biovortex Kyoto are kid-friendly, there are a few that might not appeal to small children (kindergarteners and younger).
Morphing Continuum
In this room, metallic spheres move about the room and form different shapes. At one point, they whipped around and I felt like I was in a (gentle) hailstorm.
My daughter was a mix of fascinated and scared. She wanted to leave this room, but when we exited, she said it was “so fun”. Kids are weird.
If you bring your child here, make sure you hold their hand or carry them because they might be scared and panic when the balls start flying about. It’s a little intense.
This room is located on the first floor.
Massless Amorphous Sculpture
My daughter didn’t like this room on the third floor because she doesn’t like bubbles. (It’s true, she has never enjoyed bubbles.) The bubbles were also sticky and she didn’t like that feeling on her hands. She was happy to leave and said she wouldn’t go back.
You’re also required to wear a mask in this room (which teamLab provides for free), but they don’t have any sizes for children.
The Eternal Universe of Words
This room isn’t great for those who get motion sick.
My daughter and husband didn’t like this room and they wanted to leave pretty quickly. We all felt pretty dizzy walking out as well.
This is located on the first floor.
Traces of Life
I went into this room by myself because I knew my husband and daughter would not like it.
This room plays different artworks that are projected onto the walls and the floors. Everything moves very quickly and comes toward you, so it’s not good for those who get easily motion sick. My eyes also hurt at times.
This is located on the first floor.
Living Crystallized Light
The room is dark, and the floor vibrates, which creates the colorful patterns on the water, but it made my daughter uncomfortable.
Despite that there was only 5 mm of water on the floor, my daughter’s shoes (and even her socks!) got wet.
This artwork is on the third floor.
Kid-Friendly Things to Do Near teamLab Kyoto
There are two small playgrounds located right next to teamLab Kyoto, so if your child still has energy somehow (mine didn’t), you can bring them here.
The playground above is located here.
The other playground is located here.
Since teamLab Biovortex is less than a 10-minute walk from Kyoto Station, I also recommend exploring the surrounding area with your family, as there is plenty to do!
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about visiting teamLab Biovortex with kids.
Can you bring a stroller into teamLab Kyoto?
You cannot bring a stroller inside teamLab Biovortex Kyoto. There is an area to put your stroller at the entrance.
I recommend wearing a baby carrier if you need it.
Is teamLab Kyoto good for babies or toddlers?
I think teamLab Kyoto is a great experience for children of all ages, but toddlers around age two and up will probably find it more enjoyable than very young kids.
How long should I plan to spend at teamLab Kyoto?
We spent about three hours at teamLab Kyoto, and that was perfect for us. I recommend setting aside around four hours just in case there are lines for different artworks.
Is there food at teamLab Kyoto?
There are no restaurants or food for sale at teamLab Kyoto, so make sure you eat a big breakfast or lunch before you go!
You’re allowed to bring water inside, though, and there are vending machines selling bottled water.
What other teamLab exhibits do you recommend?
Personally, I think teamLab Kyoto is the best teamLab exhibit in Japan, but if you’re interested, read my family’s experience visiting the following:
teamLab Borderless (Tokyo)
teamLab Planets (Tokyo)
teamLab Botanical Garden (Osaka)