Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo Panda Keepers Post Messages of Gratitude; Ri Ri, Shin Shin to be Returned to China on Sunday

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:02 JST, September 26, 2024

A banner covered in messages from several keepers of giant pandas Ri Ri and Shin Shin, who will be returned to China on Sunday, was hung up inside Ueno Zoological Gardens in Taito Ward, Tokyo, on Wednesday.

“The day I started working at the zoo was also the first day you two were on display. Still not even knowing which way was which, I made my way toward the panda enclosure. Even now, I can vividly remember how you still looked a little young, and how there were so many people smiling.”

The banner, which is 1.2 meters tall and 3 meters long, is adorned with thoughts from 29 past and present keepers and staffers who did jobs related to the pandas.

On Wednesday, amid an intermittent drizzle, fans surrounded the banner, reading messages and taking pictures. A 50-year-old woman from Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, who plans to visit the zoo every day until Saturday, the last day people will be able to see Ri Ri and Shin Shin, said: “I’m sure this must be painful for the workers who have been connected to the pandas for so long. I took a picture because I want to take my time reading all the messages at home.”