In summer, Tokyo receives constant rainfall. On June 12, dozens of people from all over Japan braved the rain to travel to the Chinese Cultural Center in Tokyo to attend the sixth birthday party of China's giant panda Xiangxiang.
The birthday party, co-hosted by the Chinese Tourism Office in Tokyo and the Tokyo Chinese Cultural Center, featured photos of "Xiangxiang" and videos. Ueno Zoo representative Naoya Ohashi and giant panda photographer Takashi Takashi Guihiro and other guests gathered with fans of "Xiangxiang" to wish "Xiangxiang" a happy birthday and share their love for giant pandas.
"I still remember going to Ueno Zoo at 3:30 a.m. on February 21 to wait for the truck that picked up 'Xiangxiang', and then waved goodbye to it... At the airport, we all shed tears after the charter plane took off. Tanaka Kirie, who had come specially from Osaka, said.
"Later, when I saw the news of 'Xiangxiang' leaving for China on TV, I still couldn't help crying. It's like a daughter getting married...," Tanaka said.
Born in June 2017 at Ueno Zoo, "Kaka" made its public debut in December of the same year, marking the second time in 29 years that Ueno Zoo has exhibited baby pandas. In Japan, many people grow up watching "Kaka" and harbor special feelings for it that parents have for children. "Kaka" became a well-deserved star of Ueno Zoo.
In February this year, "Xiangxiang", who had lived in Japan for five years, returned to China.
At the birthday party, Gao Shiguibo, a giant panda photographer and blogger of the "Daily Panda" blog, said that it was "Xiangxiang" that made him know more about China and made many friends. He said with a smile: "Thank you for the contribution of 'Xiangxiang' to the friendship between Japan and China, and I believe that everyone here will visit it in China in the future." ”
Ouyang An, director of the Chinese Tourism Office in Tokyo, said that the giant panda is a friendship messenger between China and Japan, and in 1972 China and Japan normalized diplomatic relations, and the giant panda set foot on Japanese soil for the first time with warm greetings and good wishes from the Chinese people. At one time, there were as many as 13 giant pandas living in Japan, fully reflecting the friendship between the two peoples.
Speaking of her feelings for "Xiangxiang", Ms. Nagai's eyes turned red, forced tears, and said intermittently: "It's like a mother saying goodbye to a child who travels far away, hoping that 'Xiangxiang' can grow up healthily." In previous years, I would wish it a happy birthday, but this year I can't see it, so I specially sent a birthday card to the base of Ya'an Bifeng Gorge. ”
Ms. Nagai saw "Kaka" for the first time in April 2018 and has been going to Ueno Zoo every week since to meet him. She told reporters that she really wanted to go to China to see "Xiangxiang", but did not want to go alone. "Because I will definitely be lonely on the way back, I will call my friends to go to China in a group."
At this warm birthday party, everyone shared their stories with "Xiangxiang" and expressed their longing. Ouyang An said that this birthday party sent the concern and blessings of the Japanese people to "Xiangxiang", and "hoped that the cause of Sino-Japanese friendship will continue with giant pandas as the link."
Source: International Online