Xinhua News Agency, Tokyo, January 22. The Ueno Park in Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is famous for the cherry blossoms described by Mr. Lu Xun. Now it is a tourist attraction for tourists to Japan.
From January 20th to 22nd, Ueno Park ushered in a three-day "Panda Spring Festival" event!
Here, you can not only meet giant pandas, the national treasure of China, but also go to temple fairs and taste authentic Chinese delicacies, and have an authentic Chinese New Year!
This is Japan's first folk event with the theme of multiple Chinese cuisines, and it is also the first temple fair in Tokyo with a strong Chinese New Year flavor.
After exiting Ueno Station, follow the flow of people to the entrance of the temple fair in the central square of Ueno Park. What you see are red lanterns and huge lucky charms, creating a festive atmosphere.
The golden "Happy New Year" red banner and a pair of pink cartoon rabbit pictures attracted tourists to take selfies.
On January 20, the "Panda Spring Festival Festival" was held in Ueno Park, Tokyo, attracting a large number of tourists to participate and experience Chinese cuisine.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu
For a long time, Tokyo has been the largest gathering place for overseas Chinese in Japan, but there is no decent Spring Festival event.
Every Spring Festival, overseas Chinese in the capital circle rush to Yokohama one after another. You can only experience the traditional Chinese New Year flavor in Yokohama Chinatown, the oldest Chinese landmark in Japan.
Talking about the original intention of holding the "Panda Spring Festival", one of the organizers and vice president of Ueno Chuo Dori Store Association Ichiro Okawahara told Xinhua News Agency: "Although there is no Chinatown in Ueno, we have giant pandas! Here is a festival for Japan. It is a good idea to participate in the Spring Festival activities together, so we planned this event.”
On January 20, the "Panda Spring Festival Festival" was held in Ueno Park, Tokyo, attracting a large number of tourists to participate and experience Chinese cuisine.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu
The giant panda is an important symbol of Sino-Japanese friendship and a gold-lettered signboard of Ueno Commercial Street.
Every time the giant panda family in Ueno Zoo adds a baby, it not only hits the headlines of the news and makes a sensation all over Japan, but also brings huge economic effects to surrounding restaurants and shops.
According to estimates by Japanese experts, the twin giant pandas "Xiaoxiao" and "Leilei" born in June 2021 will have an economic effect of 30.8 billion yen within one year.
On October 28, 2022, tourists watch giant pandas at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu
"Giant pandas are Ueno's eternal idols and an indispensable member of Ueno. Many people come to Ueno because they like giant pandas." Ogawara said.
On February 21, "Xiang Xiang", a female giant panda living in Ueno Zoo, will return to China.
After it returns to China, the number of giant pandas in the Ueno Zoo will change from a family of five to four.
On January 20, people buy food at the "Panda Chinese New Year Festival" in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu
Giant pandas are endearing, and so is Chinese food.
There were 18 catering stalls set up at the event site, including more than 50 kinds of dishes from 11 regions in China.
In addition to many Sichuan cuisine stalls such as "Chen Mapo Tofu", there are Cantonese, Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisines, Northeast cuisine, Tianjin cuisine, Yanbian cuisine, Xinjiang cuisine and Taiwan cuisine.
Candied haws, which represent the taste of old Beijing, are naturally indispensable.
In addition, there are about 10 most representative traditional Japanese snack stalls, offering everything from akashiyaki, soba noodles, beef skewers, seafood skewers, etc. The steaming chicken pot and oyster pot are also very tempting.
On January 20, people taste food at the "Panda Spring Festival Festival" in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu
A young Japanese couple told the reporter that they learned about the event from social media and specially rushed from Yokohama to Ueno to watch the pandas visit the temple fair. The girl even wore a beautiful short cheongsam for this purpose.
The Polish guy who was eating spicy noodles told the reporter that they had come to visit the Tokyo National Museum, and they walked into the temple fair by accident.
"I'm very glad to be here, there are many delicious Chinese dishes." The young man finally said in Chinese, "I wish you all a happy Year of the Rabbit".
On January 20, people buy food at the "Panda Chinese New Year Festival" in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoyu
In the future, the prosperous Chinese temple fair is expected to become a regular "program" of the Spring Festival in Ueno Park, and a platform for Japanese people and tourists from all over the world to understand and experience Chinese traditional culture.
The organizer said that it is very much looking forward to more Chinese tourists coming to Ueno!
(Reporters: Jiang Qiaomei, Li Guangzheng, Yue Chenxing, Zhang Xiaoyu; Editing: Shen Haoyang; Editors: Cheng Dayu, Ma Xiaoyan, Sun Hao)
Produced by the International Department of Xinhua News Agency
Produced by Xinhua News Agency International Communication Integration Platform