TOKYO, Oct 30 (NNN-NHK) – To mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Chinese giant pandas in Japan, Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo recently set up a “Giant Panda Post Office.”
Early Friday morning, visitors came to the post office of the zoo, to buy limited edition of giant panda stamps for the anniversary.
By talking to the “true love fans” who were waiting eagerly in the long queue, one might just get a glimpse of how popular pandas are in Japan.
“I have been to 23 countries and regions to see giant pandas.” “I even dream of giant pandas.” “Fifty years ago, I took a special leave from work to see the giant pandas.”
On Oct 28, 1972, a pair of giant pandas, Kang Kang and his partner Lan Lan, arrived at Ueno Zoo as a gift from China, to commemorate the normalisation of diplomatic relations between the two countries, sparking an unprecedented panda craze in Japan.
The annual number of visitors to the zoo, which stood at around four million before the giant pandas’ arrival, soared to a record high of 9.2 million in 1973.
In the queue, waiting to buy the commemorative stamps, some people wore masks with giant panda pictures, some were carrying bags with giant panda patterns, some were covered in panda accessories, and some were holding giant panda dolls in their arms.
Miho Nakagawa, known as the “giant panda reporter,” was at the front of the line. She said, she has been to 23 countries and regions to see giant pandas. In 2019, she published a monograph on giant pandas, telling the stories of giant pandas around the world.
Today, Nakagawa has become a full-time reporter, taking various photos related to giant pandas every day, and sharing them with the Japanese people on the Internet.
Seventy-three-year-old Kikue Hisatsune talked about her visit to Ueno Zoo to see the pandas 50 years ago. “I asked for a special leave when I heard I could see giant pandas.” Now, retired, Hisatsune has become a giant panda volunteer at the zoo, to help more visitors, especially children, to learn about pandas.
Sanpei Hayashiya, a well-known Japanese rakugo comedian, also showed up at the zoo with his wife on the anniversary. Hayashiya has lived near the Ueno Zoo since he was a child, and he still remembered the first time he saw the giant pandas.
“I was five years old at that time, and I had to wait in a very long line to see the pandas,” Hayashiya said, adding, now that he has become a father, he often comes here to see the pandas with his son.
Tadao Futatsugi, honorary president of the Ueno Tourism Federation and a full-time giant panda ambassador, has a huge collection of giant panda dolls. “Giant pandas make Ueno full of energy,” he said.
Around Ueno Park where Ueno Zoo is located, there are panda-themed bakeries, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops everywhere.
Katsuhiro Miyamoto, professor emeritus of Kansai University in Osaka prefecture, took Xiang Xiang, a giant panda born in 2017, as an example and estimated that the female had brought a 26.7 billion yen (181 million U.S. dollars) economic effect to Ueno Park and its surrounding stores.
Toshimitsu Doi, former director of Ueno Zoo, said that, Ueno Zoo has made great efforts in the raising and breeding of giant pandas over the past 50 years, and China’s Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has provided tremendous support.
“When the pandas were to deliver cubs, we would always invite Chinese instructors to come guide us on the spot. They were very skilled and professional in every detail and taught us everything,” Doi said.
“Giant pandas are ambassadors of peace and happiness. We will always love pandas,” Futatsugi’s words spoke the mind of the Japanese people.– NNN-NHK
