teamLab Biovortex Kyoto with Kids

Last Updated on July 7, 2026 by Kay

If you’re looking for the most kid-friendly interactive experience in Kyoto, teamLab Biovortex is it. teamLab Kyoto is absolutely amazing for kids! 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, teamLab Biovortex Kyoto is designed to be explored freely so that you can create your own unique experience.  There isn’t one obvious route through every artwork, so it helps to know which areas are best for kids before you go.

That said, the layout itself is actually pretty straightforward. Each floor has an entrance and an exit to the next floor, and the exit is usually on the opposite side of the entrance. However, with children (especially young ones), time may not be on your side, which is why I’m sharing photos of where to find these entrances and exits, so you know where to go right away with your kiddos.

But honestly, if someone as directionally challenged as me can figure it out without stressing out, you’ll be fine.

The teamLab app also shows where you are and includes helpful information, such as where to find the toilets, so there’s no need to panic. Staff are also around if you need help.

This article does contain some spoilers because I’ll share which areas my daughter loved most and where I recommend heading first if you’re visiting with children.

If you don’t want to be spoiled, I suggest reading this article.

So, Is teamLab Biovortex Kyoto Worth Visiting with Kids?

Yes, I absolutely think teamLab Biovortex Kyoto is worth visiting with kids, especially if your child enjoys interactive exhibits where they can run, jump, draw, climb, and touch the artwork. Out of all the teamLab locations my daughter has visited, this was her favorite by far.

The best areas for kids are the Athletics Forest and Future Park on the second floor. This is where you’ll find the most hands-on activities, including drawing creatures that come to life, jumping on trampolines, climbing, sliding, pushing floating spheres, and playing with interactive walls. My daughter (age six) loved these areas so much that she wanted to go back after we had seen everything else.

That said, I don’t think teamLab Biovortex Kyoto is the best choice for every child. Many rooms are dark, and a few artworks may feel intense, dizzying, sticky, or scary for younger kids. If your child is afraid of the dark, sensitive to motion, or doesn’t like loud/busy sensory experiences, you may want to think carefully before going.

But for kids who enjoy active, immersive, and hands-on experiences, I think teamLab Biovortex Kyoto is one of the best family-friendly attractions in Kyoto.

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 on the second floor, and these were by far my daughter’s favorite areas. This is why I’m glad I went there first, because my daughter had the time and energy to fully enjoy this kid-friendly space.

However, the fastest way to get there isn’t as simple as taking a staircase directly to the second floor. When we visited, the staircase on the first floor was not that easy to spot.

If you want exact directions on how to get there after you enter teamLab Kyoto, head to your left after you enter the first room filled with flowers projected on the walls and floor. Look for a small grey room that contains the artworks Silent Radiance Within and Memory of Waves in the Sky, pictured below. The staircase is in the right-hand corner of that area.

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.

This staircase takes you up to the third floor first, not the second 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 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.

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