> At a Glance
> – Adventure World zoo staff now wear panda costumes after losing all four bears to China
> – Visitors pay $50 to feed costumed keepers apple slices in “Panda Love Club” experience
> – Japan faces first panda-free month since 1972 as final two pandas return to China
> – Why it matters: The creative response highlights Japan’s deep cultural connection to pandas amid diplomatic tensions
Adventure World zoo in Wakayama has launched an unusual panda experience after losing its last four giant pandas to China in June 2025. The park’s “Panda Love Club” lets visitors interact with zookeepers dressed in panda costumes, feeding them apple pieces through cage bars.
The Panda Replacement Program
The 90-minute experience costs $50 (8,000 yen) and allows visitors to dress as zookeepers while learning panda care routines. Participants prepare mock meals, observe “behavior,” complete daily reports, and inspect exercise areas as if real pandas were present.
The zoo stated this attraction helps visitors “learn about the relationship between pandas and care staff… and experience the significance of passing on the lives of giant pandas to the future.”
Japan’s Panda History Ends
Adventure World had protected and bred giant pandas for over three decades. The park’s website confirms its involvement in panda conservation efforts between Japan and China throughout this period.
The final blow comes this month as Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei – twin pandas at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo – return to China. January 2025 marks the first time Japan has been without pandas since 1972.
China has gifted or loaned more than 30 pandas to Japan over five decades, according to historical records.
Diplomatic Background
The panda departures coincide with strained Japan-China relations. Beijing has suspended some Japanese food imports and blocked Japanese pop music and concerts, creating broader cultural tensions beyond the zoo animals.
China’s “panda diplomacy” practice involves loaning bears to allied nations, with animals typically returning when agreements end.
Key Takeaways
- Adventure World created human-panda experience after losing all four bears in June 2025
- Japan faces first panda-free period in 53 years as final twins return to China
- No replacement pandas planned amid ongoing diplomatic tensions
- The $50 experience reflects Japan’s cultural attachment to the beloved bears
The creative panda costume program represents Japan’s attempt to preserve panda culture even after the physical animals have departed.
