My visit of TeamLab Borderless in Tokyo, a digital place left me speechless when I visited in September 2023. As someone who’s always been fascinated by art and technology. This trip was a dream come true, especially after I saw Elon Musk’s posts about his visit earlier that year. His excitement about the Infinite Crystal Universe and the immersive vibes got me hooked. Instantly I knew I had to explore it myself. Living in a world where screens dominate our lives, stepping into teamLab Borderless felt like a magical escape. A place where art isn’t just something you look at but something you feel with every step.
After a quick metro ride from Hamamatsucho Station to Azabudai Hill, I arrived at the museum. Back then, teamLab Borderless was still in its original Odaiba location, which closed in 2022 before reopening in Azabudai Hills in February 2024. My timings were perfect. I got my tickets online a few weeks ahead through the official website and showed up at 10:00 AM when it opened. The line wasn’t too bad. In the next 20 minutes, I was buzzing with anticipation. Because I scanned my QR code and stepped inside.
The borderless philosophy of Art
Walking into teamLab Borderless was like entering a different dimension. The museum’s “borderless” philosophy—where art flows from room to room without walls or maps immediately hit me. The first space I entered into was the Infinite Crystal Universe, a room filled with hanging LED lights reflecting off mirrored walls, creating an endless galaxy effect. I stood there, mouth open, as the lights shifted colors with every movement. It reminded me of Musk’s video where he marveled at it, and I could see why it felt like I was floating in space, a moment of pure awe.
Next, I wandered into the Athletic Forest, where I jumped on a squishy trampoline surrounded by a digital star’s life cycle birth, death, and stardust. It was playful yet profound, encouraging me to move and interact, which I loved. The Forest of Resonating Lamps was another highlight—huge, glowing balloons that changed colors based on nearby movements. I spent ages just watching them pulse, feeling a strange connection to the strangers around me as we influenced the art together.
Adding my fish to the “Digital Sketch Ocean”
One of my favorite surprises was the Sketch Ocean. I grabbed a crayon and drew a fish on a tablet, and within minutes, my creation swam across massive screens with other visitors’ drawings. Seeing my little fish join a digital ocean was surreal it made me feel like a co-creator, not just a viewer. The waterfall feature, with its cascading digital streams, was equally mesmerizing, though I had to dodge a few selfie-takers to get a good spot! 
After a couple of hours, I ducked into the En Tea House for a break. Sipping tea while digital flowers bloomed in my cup was a sensory delight I could’ve stayed there all day. The museum’s no-map design meant I got lost a few times, but that was part of the fun. I explored for about three hours, and even then, I felt like I hadn’t seen it all. The darkness of some rooms and the mirrored floors (I wore pants, thankfully!) added to the adventure, though I can imagine it being tricky for anyone with mobility issues.
What sets teamLab Borderless apart are its novelties, which blew my mind during my visit. The museum, created by an interdisciplinary collective of artists, programmers, engineers, and mathematicians, uses cutting-edge technology—like 520 computers and 470 projectors—to craft a living art experience. The “Bubble Universe” and “Megalith Crystal Formation” were new additions I heard about later, but in 2023, the focus in this digital world was on fluid, interactive spaces. The art responds to your presence, blurring boundaries between you and the work, which is a radical departure from traditional museums.
Lack of map forced to explore
The lack of a map was a novelty in itself it forced me to explore intuitively, discovering hidden rooms like the Weightless Forest of Resonating Life, where giant “marshmallow” lights floated. The use of barefoot zones in some areas, like the water pool with digital cherry blossoms (a seasonal treat I missed but heard about), added a tactile layer. Even the tea house’s blooming flowers tied into this theme of nature and technology merging. These innovations made it feel futuristic, like something out of a sci-fi movie maybe even something Musk would dream up for a SpaceX lounge!
I first heard about teamLab Borderless when Elon Musk posted about his summer 2023 trip to Tokyo. It includes a stop at teamLab Planets (the Toyosu offshoot). His videos of the Infinite Crystal Universe, with him and Grimes wandering through the lights, sparked my curiosity. As a fan of his bold ideas SpaceX, Tesla, and his vision for human innovation. I was inspired by how he embraced this blend of art and tech. It made me think: if someone like Musk, who’s all about pushing boundaries, found value in this, it must be worth exploring. That push motivated me to plan my trip, and I’m so glad I did. His visit highlighted the museum’s global appeal, and experiencing it myself felt like a personal nod to that shared sense of wonder.
A journey into digital creativity
This visit wasn’t just a tourist stop it was a journey into creativity. Growing up, I loved drawing and dreaming big, and teamLab Borderless reignited that spark. The way it connects people through art—strangers influencing the same digital waves—left me feeling part of something bigger. I left inspired to think differently about technology’s role in our lives, maybe even to pursue a career where I can blend my passions like teamLab does. If you’re ever in Tokyo, don’t miss it book early, wear comfy shoes, and let yourself get lost in the magic.
By PNP Intern- Syed Taha Rabbani