It feels like stepping into a galaxy of stars in the universe!* The 3 Must-See Interactive Light Art Exhibitions in Japan This Year

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Japanese creative collective “teamLab” has garnered significant attention in recent years for their interactive light art installations, frequently collaborating with historic sites, art museums, and tourist attractions across Japan to launch various exhibitions. Below is a roundup of must-visit teamLab interactive light art exhibitions this year. If you’re looking to experience a truly unique world of light and shadow during your trip to Japan, be sure to check them out.

▲Interactive Light Art Exhibition at TDK History & Future Museum. (Photo / fromteamLab official website, same below)

1. Akita — TDK History & Future Museum
With the museum’s renovation and reopening, teamLab has also moved in, using interactive light art to transform the entire space into a fantastical realm of light and shadow, presenting three distinct worlds— the cosmos, the Earth, and electronics— allowing visitors to explore them.

Transportation: 10-minute walk from JR Nigatake Station

▲teamLab’s work “Crystal Universe” on display at Nagoya City Science Museum.

2. Nagoya — Nagoya City Science Museum
teamLab has created a multi-faceted, luminous space using touch-sensitive light art, showcasing the brilliance of a crystal universe and a vibrant world of flowers. This marks teamLab’s first foray into Japan’s Tokai region. To allow children to experience the art firsthand, the venue also features interactive technology such as building blocks and painting activities, offering a uniquely playful world for young visitors.

Exhibition Period: November 12, 2016 – February 12, 2017

▲Stunning light art will also make its debut in Tokushima.

3. Tokushima — Light City Art Night
teamLab transforms the entire city center of Tokushima into a natural light art gallery using glowing orbs, light sculptures, and strategic lighting. Dozens of spheres float along the river, each emitting different colors and sounds, creating one of the most romantic nightscapes in the urban area. Additionally, interactive light art by teamLab can be found in certain forested areas and buildings, adding a magical charm to Tokushima’s nightscape at the end of the year.

Time: December 16–25, 2016