Charles Brown is an intern from the United States. He is earning his Masters Degree in Public Administration at the University of New Orleans, where he lives. He is passionate about experiencing different cultures and living an exciting life with reckless abandon, which is why this company was a perfect fit for him. He is also a big fan of all things sports, especially soccer. Just don’t challenge him, because he is overly competitive.
Once you get your fill of shrines and ancient temples, you might want something a little more modern. You might even want something futuristic. Of course, Tokyo has just that. They are already in the future with teamLab Planets Tokyo. teamLab is a worldwide art collective that blend art, science, technology, and the natural world. They create art museums featuring interactive works brought forth by technology that make you feel like you’re living in the year 3000. The physical experience of the art is not the only cool part. The meaning behind the art will also change your understanding of the concepts of life, space, time, sense, and so much more. teamLab Planets is Tokyo’s latest exhibition of the futuristic art collective. Located in Toyosu, teamLab Planets is an awesome experience for all ages that will stun you not only visually, but will also immerse your other senses as well.
If you haven’t already, purchase your tickets here: teamLab Planets Tokyo
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
What teamLab Planets Tokyo is about
This exhibition dissolves the boundaries between art, the self, and others, creating a world where we are all in this continuous space experiencing the beauty of life and art as one. This barefoot experience connects you with the art in a way that you have never felt before.
What teamLab Planets has to offer
Don’t worry about spoilers because even if we tell you everything there is to see at teamLab Planets, words can’t describe what you’ll experience when you’re actually immersed in the art. With 4 massive exhibition spaces and 2 gardens, there are a ton of interactive experiences for you, your friends, and your family. There are two paths , the Garden Area and the Water Area. Visitors go through the Water Area first, followed by the Garden Area.
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
Some of the things to experience
Wade in the Koi Pond
Because this is a barefoot experience, don’t worry about wearing the nicest shoes to the exhibit. You won’t have them on anyway. Your feet will definitely be getting wet in the Water Area. You’ll also wade through an artwork featuring digitally created koi rendered in real time by a computer program, so depending on how tall you are, your shins or even past your knees could get wet too. Therefore, we recommend wearing shorts for the most comfortable and convenient experience.
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
Fall in the Black Hole
Another fun section is the Soft Black Hole. Here, you get to feel how the environment influences your body and how your body influences the environment and the bodies of others. The concept behind it is that we’ve lost the consciousness of our bodies due to the flat and rigid world our society has created, and this is a way to help bring back that consciousness, reconnect us with our natural selves, and show us how we all influence each other through our movements and actions.
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
See the Moss Garden
The Moss Garden of Resonating Microcosms is also one that brings a very interesting concept to life. The Ovoids in the moss garden are reactive to the actual sunrise and sunset, the touch of a person, and even the wind blowing. They change colors and even make beautiful sounds depending on the external stimuli, with the tones and changes in color resonating to the other ovoids surrounding them. These ovoids can represent moss and how it responds to external stimuli, which helps make us consider the concept of what it means to be alive in this world of constant stimulus.
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
Best Spots for IG pics
If there’s one thing you don’t want to leave at home, it is your phone. This art exhibition is not only physically interactive but technologically interactive as well, which makes it even better. Plus, there are a few exhibits that you’ll definitely want to have your phone with you because they’ll make great settings for a fire instagram post.
Command the lights in the Infinite Crystal Universe
The Infinite Crystal Universe is a massive room surrounded by countless of hanging LED lights that change constantly. This one is not only visually stunning, but it is also really fun because you can influence the pattern of the 3D lights from your phone if you download the team lab app. It also makes the perfect backdrop for an IG post or new profile pic, and you can make it look however you want.
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
Snap a pic in the Floating Flower Garden
Another beautiful spot at teamLab Planets is the Floating Flower Garden. This garden combines a 3-dimensional mass of over 13,000 orchids hanging from above, mirrors everywhere, and constant motion. The hanging garden rises and lowers, given the position of those under the garden. That means every time you or stranger moves in the garden, it becomes a new piece of art, which is perfect for a unique picture every single time. teamLab Planets also has a flower shop where you can buy any one of a variety of orchids that they have. With this you can take a piece of art with you that will last for a very long time if taken care of properly, up to decades!
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
Expand in 3-D
The Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space is one of the most fun installations because it is just as interactive as it is visually stunning. In this room, there are floating and freestanding spheres that react to your touch. They react with both changes in light and in sounds, which resonate throughout the room. Depending on the collection of colors that are created by touch in the room, the perception of the room’s size and shape changes.
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
Things for the public
Because teamLab is for the people, they offer some really cool stuff without you even having to pay entry to teamLab Planets! The first thing is at the forefront of the complex. The Universe of Particles Falling from the Sky obelisk is the first thing you’ll see when walking up to the building. When you stand in front of it, the fire particles will react to your position, leaving the art in a perpetual state of change. Also, if you download the Distributed Fire app, you can harness that flame from the art and connect it with others who have done the smart. This has resulted in this artistic flame being spread across the world, there’s even a neat map on the app to show you how far the flames have reached.
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
Eat in the Reverse Rotation – Non-Objective Space
Here, you can eat the vegan ramen from Vegan Ramen UZU Tokyo in a space featuring teamLab’s artwork. It provides a stellar atmosphere for whatever you choose to do. It is like you are inside of the workings of an AI. The patterns on the walls, floor, and ceiling are actually calligraphy that shift between 2 and 3 dimensional spaces. This creates characteristics of an Ultrasubjective space, leaving the viewer to be able to see the pattern moving clockwise and/or counterclockwise.
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
Explore the Vegan Options
Originally from Kyoto, Vegan Ramen UZU Tokyo offers a refreshing alternative to those that do not share the same dietary preferences as the traditional meat-loving culture in Japan. There are several different options of ramen, all with noodles made with wheat flour from Hokkaido and pesticide-free whole grain flour from Aya Town, Miyazaki Prefecture. The soup common to all ramen is made by adding vegetables to Rausu kelp and domestically produced shiitake mushrooms, letting it steep for 12 hours, and then simmering it at a low temperature. You can also grab one of several different types of teas offered and then get one of their vegan ice creams for dessert!
Relax on the One Stroke Bench
Like the single stroke of a brush, this bench is technically one continuous bench that turns around and loops through itself creating a functional work of art. This bench is open to the public and can be used as a bench for having lunch, a playground for children, and even a lounging area for relaxing. If you find yourself in Toyosu but don’t want to pay for the full experience of teamLab Planets, take a stop here and have a bite or a quick rest.
teamLab Planets TOKYO © teamLab
All photos:
teamLab, Exhibition view of teamLab Planets TOKYO, 2018, Tokyo ©
team Lab, courtesy PaceGallery
Hours
teamLab Planets TOKYO
[October, November]
Weekdays 10:00 – 20:00
Holidays 9:00 – 21:00
* Sunday, October 9, 9:00 – 22:00
* Last Entrance one hour before the closing time.
Vegan Ramen UZU TokyoteamLab Flower Shop & Art
[October, November]
Weekdays 11:00 – 19:00
Holidays 10:30 – 19:00
Closed: (Tuesday, October 25, Thursday, November 10)
teamLab Planets Tokyo Tickets
Admission
Adults (18 Years and above): 3,200 yen
Junior high school / High school: 2,000 yen
Children (Ages 4-12): 1,000 yen
Under 3 years of age: Free
Disability discount: 1,600 yen
If you’re interested in purchasing tickets, click the link here!
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