Beyond food and sightseeing, Osaka also offers plenty of art-filled experiences. In this article, I’m introducing teamLab Osaka (officially teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka), an immersive exhibition where nature and light art are beautifully blended into one.
Unlike the indoor experience at teamLab in Tokyo, teamLab Osaka is located inside Nagai Botanical Garden and only opens at night, transforming the entire garden into a dreamy forest of light. Whether you’re planning a date, a family outing, or you simply love taking photos for the ’gram, this is a spot you’ll definitely want to add to your Osaka itinerary.
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What is teamLab Osaka?
teamLab is an international art collective made up of artists, programmers, engineers, CG animators and more. They are known for combining light, sound and interactive technology to create digital art that responds to visitors. Their exhibitions have been held in major cities around the world, including previous shows in Taiwan.
teamLab Osaka opened in 2022 and is one of the few teamLab exhibitions in Japan where nature plays the leading role. Unlike other indoor teamLab shows, the artworks here are set directly among the trees, on the water and across the lawns, allowing the light installations and plants to change together with the seasons.
My three favorite highlights in teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka are:
🌸 Resonating Microcosms in the Common Camellia Garden – Solidified Light Color
In the camellia garden, smooth, mirror-like ovoids are scattered across the lawn. Their colors change when touched, when people approach, or when the wind blows, and the change ripples outward to the surrounding ovoids, creating waves of flowing light. This artwork explores the idea that “people and nature influence one another.” As night falls and the seasons shift, the entire garden takes on a different atmosphere.
🌿 Resonating Life in the Eucalyptus Forest
Walk into the eucalyptus forest in Nagai Botanical Garden and you’ll find tall glowing ovoids scattered between the trees. These light-filled objects change color and emit different tones when touched or when the wind passes through, sending waves of color that resonate with the surrounding ovoids.
🕊️ Sculptures of Dissipative Birds in the Wind
Lines of light trace flight paths across the night sky, like flocks of birds gliding through the wind. These are not solid sculptures, but visualizations created by wind and the flow of energy. The direction and strength of the wind constantly shape the installation, symbolizing the ever-changing and transient nature of life in the natural world.
Tickets for teamLab Osaka at Nagai Botanical Garden
You can buy tickets on site or in advance through third-party platforms like KKday and Klook. I booked my teamLab Osaka ticket on KKday beforehand, and on the day of my visit I just queued up and scanned the QR code to enter. The line for same-day tickets looked quite long, so I definitely recommend purchasing in advance.
👉 Book tickets for teamLab Osaka (Nagai Botanical Garden): KKday, Klook
Below is the ticket price list for teamLab Osaka as shown on the official website:
📌 Important things to know before visiting teamLab Osaka
- The exhibition is entirely outdoors. It usually goes ahead even if it rains, but may be canceled in severe weather conditions.
- Wear non-slip shoes and bring a light raincoat or umbrella, just in case.
- You can take photos and videos with your phone or camera, but flash, tripods and drones are not allowed.
How to get to teamLab Osaka at Nagai Botanical Garden
teamLab Osaka is located inside Nagai Botanical Garden in Higashisumiyoshi Ward, Osaka. Getting there is fairly easy, but keep in mind that the artworks are installed deep inside the garden. It takes about 10–15 minutes to walk from the park entrance to the exhibition area, so plan to arrive a bit early. You can grab dinner or take a stroll around Nagai Park first and then enter the garden after sunset to enjoy the light installations.
🚇 By subway
- Osaka Metro Midosuji Line – Nagai Station (Exit 3) → About a 10-minute walk to the garden entrance.
🚆 By JR
- JR Hanwa Line – Nagai Station → About a 10-minute walk after exiting the station.
🚗 By car
- You can park at the Nagai Park parking lot, around a 5-minute walk from the entrance. Parking fees are charged by the hour.
Is teamLab Osaka worth visiting? My honest review
At first, I wasn’t sure if teamLab Osaka at Nagai Botanical Garden was worth making a special trip for. But the moment I stepped into the garden, all my doubts disappeared.
By the time I entered, the sky was already dark. Only a few dim lights and the sound of insects filled the air. After walking through a short stretch of trees, I suddenly saw glowing “eggs of light” scattered between the trunks. It honestly felt magical. The colors shifted as the wind blew and as people moved around, and the whole forest seemed to come alive.
Further inside was my favorite area: the eucalyptus forest. Ovoids of different heights filled the space, and with every step I took, the colors changed in a chain reaction. You can even hear subtle tones resonating through the forest. It’s hard to capture that feeling in photos — it’s like walking through a quiet yet deeply alive conversation between light and nature.
At the lakeside, distant lights, tree silhouettes, and a gentle breeze all blended together, wrapped in a soft mist. I couldn’t help but slow down. In that moment, I finally understood what teamLab has been trying to express — that humans are part of nature itself, and art is simply a way to help us see this more clearly.
If you ask me whether teamLab Osaka is worth visiting, my answer is a big yes. If you love photography, art exhibitions or romantic night vibes, you’ll fall in love with this place. Just remember that it’s an outdoor exhibition, so bring mosquito repellent in summer, dress warmly in winter, and wear comfortable walking shoes.
👉 Book tickets for teamLab Osaka (Nagai Botanical Garden): KKday, Klook
