After China reclaimed its giant pandas living in most Japanese zoos, workers in Wakayama decided to dress up as the fluffy critters, using humor to make the best of the situation.
China is pulling its giant pandas from Japan amid escalating tensions between the two countries. By the end of January 2026, all of the black-and-white bears will be gone from China’s neighboring island country.
Adventure World amusement park and zoo in Wakayama prefecture, Japan, returned its four pandas in summer 2025. Now, it’s consoling visitors with a lighthearted program where employees dress up as pandas, lounging in their habitats and even getting ‘fed’ by other zookeepers.
Pandas might be gone from Japan, but zoos are making the best of it
The workers, clad in black-and-white hats with panda ears, are part of Adventure World’s ‘Panda Love Program,’ where zoogoers can spend 8,000 yen (~ $51 USD) to dress up like a panda-keeper and see what it’s like to take care of the large animals for themselves.
Specifically, customers will get to “experience a program that mimics actual animal care work, such as preparing meals, observing behavior, filling out daily reports and checking the safety of the exercise area,” The Times reports.
For $51, visitors at Wakayama’s Adventure Club zoo can see what it’s like to take care of “pandas” for themselves… sort of.
“This special attraction will allow visitors to learn about the relationship between pandas and care staff … and experience the significance of passing on the lives of giant pandas to the future,” the park said in a statement to the outlet.
This unique activation lasts for a total of 90 minutes, taking viewers through the usual duties of a zookeeper and even allowing them to ‘feed’ the costumed workers apples through a cage.
ABC TV News / The TimesThe 90-minute experience lets visitors play zookeeper and see all the work it takes to keep up with China’s national animal.
The last two pandas in Japan, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, are currently located at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo. While they were initially scheduled to return to China in February, this date has been moved up to the end of January.
China often loans Giant Pandas out to foreign zoos under its ‘Panda Diplomacy‘ program, usually as part of breeding agreements with other countries. However, China remains the sole owner of all Giant Pandas, and has the right to retrieve them at any time.
Japanese zoogoers are so distraught at the pandas’ departure that guests lined up for hours outside of Ueno zoo in December, hoping to catch one last glimpse of the animals before they go back home indefinitely.
Currently, there are no plans to replace the pandas, and experts remain skeptical if they will return anytime soon due to rising political tensions between China and Japan.
