3.1 Kyoto teamLab BioVortex (December 22nd)#

I had previously visited a teamLab exhibition in Macau and left feeling somewhat disappointed. I had heard high praise for their Tokyo installation and attempted to visit a few years ago, but luck was not on my side as tickets were completely sold out.

This time, I booked tickets well in advance, determined to give it a proper chance. As it turned out, the venue we were visiting was “teamLab BioVortex Kyoto,” a brand-new facility that had just opened its doors in October 2025.

Our reservation was for 3:00 PM. We arrived a bit early, and after a wait of about ten minutes, we were allowed to enter around 2:45 PM.

This experience completely redeemed the brand in my eyes; both the scale and quality were vastly superior to the Macau exhibition. BioVortex emphasizes the concepts of “Life” and “Masslessness.” The most striking feature was undoubtedly the massive domed theater.

Inside the space titled “Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers,” we sat on the floor alongside other visitors. Gazing upward, we watched countless flowers and shifting lights manifest, bloom, and wither across the dome—a spectacle that was both magnificent and dreamlike. The sheer immersion—the sensation of being enveloped by imagery and floating within a current of light—was something the Macau venue simply could not match.

Additionally, the venue’s exclusive “Massless Amorphous Sculpture” was a revelation. These massive spheres of light and mist floated in the air; though they would break apart at a touch, they miraculously repaired themselves moments later.

I started out taking photos and videos, but eventually, I just gave up. I realized that no camera could capture the true essence of the live experience, and trying to force it would only distract me from actually enjoying the moment.