Panda Day Events at Ueno Zoo
Oct 9, 2026 · Ueno
[Ueno] Panda Day Events at Ueno Zoo!
Ueno Zoo is holding Panda Day events. Japan's first giant pandas, Ran Ran and Kang Kang, arrived at Ueno Zoo on October 28, 1972, and in 2012 the zoo named October 28 "Panda Day." To mark the day, the zoo will hold a lecture looking back on its giant panda care, an event introducing animals that share the panda's habitat, and more.
Panda Day Commemorative Lecture: "Kiseki: 15 Years with Ri Ri and Shin Shin"
The Giant Panda Breeding Research Project, run jointly by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, ended on February 20, 2026. This lecture looks back on the 15 years of work that began on February 21, 2011.
There will be four talks:
- Talk 1: "The History of the Giant Panda Breeding Research Project" (Hitoshi Suzuki, Manager, Animal Care and Exhibition Section, Ueno Zoo)
- Talk 2: "Same Panda, So Different? How Ri Ri and Shin Shin Differ from the Pandas up to Lin Lin" (Hiroshi Kuramochi, Chief, West Garden Animal Care and Exhibition Unit, Ueno Zoo)
- Talk 3: "A Veterinarian Looks Back on These 15 Years" (Yuzo Hirano, Chief, Animal Hospital Unit, Ueno Zoo)
- Talk 4: "15 Years with the Giant Pandas: The Project's Achievements and the Zoo of the Future" (Keishi Saito, Chief, Management Strategy Unit, General Affairs Department, Tokyo Zoological Park Society)
Advance registration is required through the application form. Before applying, set your spam filter and email software to accept emails from @tokyo-zoo.net and @kintoneapp.com. Take particular care if you apply from a mobile phone. If you do not receive an automatic reply after applying, contact the Ueno Zoo Education Unit.
Applications must be submitted by 23:59 on Friday, October 9, 2026. If there are more applicants than places, a lottery will be held, and only winners will be notified by email by Friday, October 16. If the same person applies more than once, all of their applications will be invalid, whether submitted as the main applicant or as a companion. Late arrivals may not be admitted, and the main applicant and companions cannot be changed after the application deadline.
The lecture will also be streamed live on the Tokyo Zoo Net YouTube channel on the day, and a recording will be available later. Anyone can watch either one (viewers pay their own data charges). Streaming details will be announced later.
Lecture Information
- Date & time: Sunday, October 25, 2026, 13:30–16:00
- Venue: Conference Room, 3rd Floor, Ueno Zoo Administration Office (details will be emailed to winners)
- Who can attend: Open to all (content intended for upper elementary school students and older)
- Capacity: 100 (advance registration required)
- Fee: Free
- Inquiries: Ueno Zoo Education Unit, 03-3828-5171 (main line) *Hours: 9:30–17:00
Panda Forest Stamp Rally
There are no giant pandas at the West Garden's Panda Forest at the moment, but it houses red pandas and pheasants that come from the same Chinese highlands as giant pandas. For Panda Day, a stamp rally will introduce the animals that share the panda's homeland.
- Period: Tuesday, October 20 – Sunday, November 1, 2026 *Ends when supplies run out
- Location: Panda Forest, West Garden
- Who can join: Open to all (content intended for elementary school students)
- No prizes are given
Book Release: "Kiseki: 15 Years with Ri Ri and Shin Shin"
A new book uses photographs to trace the 15-year breeding research project carried out with Ri Ri and Shin Shin.
- Release date: Late October 2026 (planned)
- Where to buy: Little Trunk (East Garden), Petit Chameleon (West Garden) (also planned for sale on the TOKYO ZOO SHOP online store)
- Price: 2,200 yen (tax included)
Panda Day Gift Items
Panda Day commemorative goods are also on sale.
- Period: From October 6, 2026 (until sold out)
- Where to buy: Little Trunk (East Garden), Petit Chameleon (West Garden) (also sold on the TOKYO ZOO SHOP online store)
- Items: "A4 Clear Folder (Photo / Illustration)" 330 yen each (tax included), "Magnet Set" 960 yen (tax included), "Sticker Set" 1,020 yen (tax included)
Event Information
- Location: Ueno Zoo
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