We met at the train station at 8:30 this morning to get to the zoo a few minutes before they open the doors at 9:30. By the time we arrived, there were already 2 very long lines. The first line was for people with annual passes and pre-paid tickets. The second line (which we were in) was for those that needed to pay. We got through the doors about 15 minutes after the doors first opened. My husband hurried over to the panda line and found it was already a 90 minute wait.
He told us that he would wait in line and we could wander around with the kids. With the help of modern technology, we could keep the kids busy for at least an hour and 15 minutes instead of making them stand in a very hot line. I kept checking on my husband because the sun was so intense and I thought his generosity was so kind. He insisted that we wander. So, we were able to see the elephants, birds of prey, lions, tigers, and gorillas before it was time to join him.
After an hour and 15 minutes, he texted that he was getting close. We hurried back and quickly found him. The boys were excited to see the pandas. Every time we were standing in the sun, it felt like the line was taking forever. But in the shade, the line moved super fast. Funny how that happens! We waited together for over 30 minutes.
 |
This super cute peek-a-boo window looked at...
the entrance of the zoo from inside the zoo!
|
The big draw of the pandas is the baby panda. In 1972 the Ueno Zoo received a gift of 2 Giant Pandas from China in the hopes of creating a breeding program in Japan. While those pandas never created offspring, China has been loaning Ueno Zoo pandas ever since. They send the pandas. Ueno Zoo breeds them and puts them on display. Then they send them back to China. The last pair of pandas arrived in 2011. They had their first baby in 2012, but it sadly died when it was 6 days old. Then, in 2017, they had their rainbow baby named Xiang Xiang (Shyan Shyan). It is currently on display with her mother. Daddy is in a separate enclosure.
It took us almost 2 hours to see the pandas. Was it worth it? Ummmm. No. They were all asleep and facing the other direction! Of course, my son didn't care. He was excited nonetheless. They often say Tokyoites like to wait in line and if you are on time here, you are late. I feel like if we hadn't waited for so long, I would have been more than happy to just have a peek at the back sides of 3 pandas, but for me it was a bit anticlimactic.
 |
| Daddy |
 |
| Mom and baby |
Following the pandas, we continued our trek around the zoo and had lunch in their cafeteria.
 |
| Cold noodle bowl |
The boys loved seeing all the animals, as well as spending time together.
It was an incredibly hot day. So, we decided we needed to take the same trek over to Mihashi for traditional desserts. This time I had the shaved ice. Mine was flavored with hojiicha (roasted green tea), served on a bed of anko (red bean paste), and included 4 little balls of mochi (pounded rice balls). It was cold, not too sweet, maybe a touch on the bitter side, and really hit the spot.
For a day of repeat activities, we certainly had a good time checking everything out. Even if it included a super long line in the hot, hot sun (that my husband bore the brunt of, but we all survived). Unfortunately, when we got home we realized that we totally missed seeing the deer - again! Will we have to go back? Time will tell.
No comments:
Post a Comment