In August last year we visited the Team Lab art exhibition in Tokyo. It was beautiful and immersive and wonderful on so many levels. And so, with news my sister and her family were coming to town, I booked tickets to the Team Lab second show in Tokyo: Planets.

It was billed as an immersive experience during which we would have water up to our knees and enjoy exploring planet vibes and various textures. We knew there would be sounds, smells, and sights to enjoy but still, I had no real idea what it was going to be like. However, after the first show, I knew it whatever it was, it would be good! And it totally blew my mind…

It was brilliant to go to the show with children too as they enjoyed every section, with Ed declaring “it was the best day ever!” (Although he adorably did do this a few times…) At first, you take off your shoes for the whole experience so that you can feel various textures on the floor. This includes walking through a warm and scented stream, which got the kids giggling like crazy and the adults not far behind. After this sensory experience we fell, quite literally, into a huge giant bean bag room! The floor had been removed and replaced with one giant bean bag. It was an insane feeling to try and walk on and suitably hilarious to make our way from one side to the other on this big moving bowl of jelly. People had a wide range of unique methods to cross the room from the four legged creature to the belly flopping monster. I went with the overactive cat, dainty but scrambling. Dan went for the ‘I can do this on two legs faceplant’.

We then moved on to an amazing space with glitter, lights, and mirrors. It was an instagram dream, and the floor was not short on models trying to capture that perfect shot before the installation messed with their photos and started another tripping light dance. After this we moved through dimly lit purple corridors to another room with a milky water floor which had light images of fish, flowers, and beautiful water scenes being projected onto it. It was incredibly immersive and spectacular to try and catch the fish or step on the flowers. Eds favourite room was one of giant balloons that bounced around and changed into a range of prime colours. This was combined with what sounded and acted like a giant hairdryer, which came on every few minutes and moved all of the giants around the space. My favourite area was the finale space, where you could lie down in a circular room with a dome ceiling, which was covered in projections of giant flowers. Sunflowers. Roses. Daisies. Daffodils. It felt like we were moving through a universe of florals. I felt like a tiny person, a Borrower (if you know the reference), who had ventured into the garden and was looking up and marvelling at the giant flowers around me as the spun and twirled past. Some of the flowers flew, what felt like, so close to our faces that people gasped out loud. It was truly emotional laying there and enjoying this exceptionally unique experience.

So, if you ever happen to be in Tokyo please check out Team LAB! It is an incredible experience that you will never forget.