Tokyo's Ueno Zoo has imposed a one-minute time limit for viewing its twin giant pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, who are set to leave for China next month. Even so, on Tuesday afternoon, wait times reached four hours, with lines stretching endlessly. The fervor of fans eager for a final glimpse underscores the pandas' immense popularity.
Tokyo's Ueno Zoo announced earlier this week that its twin giant pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, will depart Japan next month. Born at the zoo, the pair are offspring of pandas loaned from China under a breeding research program, and per the agreement, any cubs must eventually return to China. As Japan's last two pandas, they have been major attractions, drawing widespread affection from visitors.
Anticipating crowds eager to bid farewell, the zoo will require advance online reservations for the panda enclosure starting December 23. Until then, anyone can queue up, but fans arrived early on Tuesday morning ahead of the weekend rush. By afternoon, wait times hit four hours, and with the zoo closing at 5 p.m. in winter, staff halted the line around 1 p.m.
To keep queues moving, viewing time is capped at one minute per person. Yet enthusiasm remains high, with visitors snapping photos and committing the pandas' images to memory in that brief window. From December 23 to 26, the zoo plans to limit total visitors to 4,800. Starting January 14, reservations will switch to a lottery system as demand peaks toward the final public viewing on January 25.
Once the pandas leave, Japan will lack any for the first time since 1972. The zoo has not confirmed if the time limit will persist during reservations, but the public's desire for a last look is evident in the persistent lines.
