Giant Pandas at Ueno Zoo Visited by Crowds on 1st Day of Opening Since Announcement of Return

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:10 JST, December 17, 2025

Panda fans flocked to the Ueno Zoological Gardens in Taito Ward, Tokyo, on Tuesday, following the announcement that its twin giant pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei would return to China.

At 9:20 a.m. on the first day of the park’s opening since the announcement was made, 1,632 people were lined up near the Benten Gate entrance, located near Panda Forest where the pandas are kept. After 10 a.m., the waiting time to see the pandas reached three hours, more than three times the usual wait.

Long queues formed throughout the park, so to ease overcrowding, viewing time was limited to about one minute. Visitors silently took photos and waved goodbye to the pandas, looking like they were unwilling to part with them.

“I came to see Lei Lei in March, so this time I wanted to see Xiao Xiao before he leaves,” said a 33-year-old housewife from Sumida Ward, who visited while carrying her one-year-old daughter. “Both pandas bring happiness to people, and it’s sad they’re leaving.”

According to the zoo’s head of animal care and exhibition, the twin pandas are being trained to undergo blood tests and X-rays in preparation for quarantine before they are returned. “They were the first twin pandas born at Ueno Zoo. Raising them healthily was incredibly difficult, but they gave us so much joy and surprise. We can only express our gratitude.”

The pandas can be seen until Jan. 25. Visitors without reservations will be accepted in order of arrival until Sunday. After this time, online reservations will be required. Between Dec. 23 and Jan. 12, viewings will be arranged based on the order of the applications received. From Jan. 14 to 25, visitors who applied will be selected by lottery.