TOKYO, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) — It was nonetheless chilly for an early spring day in Tokyo. Takahiro Takauji, the blogger of “Mainichi Panda,” or Panda Every Day, confirmed up on a snowy morning on the entrance of Ueno Zoo as traditional.
Takauji, also referred to as “Mr. Panda” for his craze for the animal, launched in September 2011 the web site of “Mainichi Panda,” which shows images he takes of big pandas in Ueno Zoo.
For practically 12 years, the 44-year-old web site designer has been visiting the park near-daily to take panda images.
The man would take a one-hour subway trip from his dwelling in Saitama metropolis to Ueno Zoo, which opens at 9:30 a.m. native time. “I usually get in line at the zoo entrance two hours early. I would take care of my work for the day while waiting so that I can focus on photographing the pandas once the zoo opens,” Takauji informed Xinhua.
The heavy snow didn’t appear to have an effect on the panda lover’s good temper in any respect. “Today’s shoot is well worth the wait, because giant pandas love snow, and you might see them frolicking in the snow on such a day,” stated Takauji, including that there shall be a lot fewer guests when the climate is unhealthy.
As guests adopted the employees on the zoo into the panda home the place the mom panda Shin Shin and her twin cubs dwell, Takauji started clicking away madly, and the two-minute viewing slot handed in a flash.
There was no queue for the outside exhibit of the daddy of the twins, or the male panda Ri Ri, who was both sitting and nibbling bamboo sticks or climbing up and down within the snow. Takauji weaved by means of the group to search out the right capturing spot after wrapping his costly filming gear with a shawl to forestall it from getting moist.
To get extra pictures of the pandas, a typical Ueno Zoo journey for Takauji means becoming a member of the queue three or 4 instances exterior the home of Shin Shin and her infants, ready for no less than 40 minutes every time.
The man recalled a day when he spent over seven hours ready in biting coldness to {photograph} the beloved big panda Xiang Xiang, which shall be returning to China on Tuesday.
“It was a winter morning, I started queuing at 5 a.m. and then waited outside the panda house for three hours after the zoo opened,” he stated.
In the eyes of “Mr. Panda,” Xiang Xiang was well worth the wait though the go to lasted solely two or three minutes. “I feel happy as long as I get to look at the pandas.”
When Takauji returns dwelling after his photograph shoot for pandas, he would show about 200 footage on the weblog after sifting by means of the massive variety of images he had taken on that day.
Takauji’s first connection to massive pandas started in 2011 when the 2 Chinese pandas Ri Ri and Shin Shin arrived in Tokyo in February, ending the practically three-year absence of big pandas in Ueno Zoo. One day in August he determined to go see the pair, and this informal resolution modified his life.
As of Feb. 20 this 12 months, Takauji has photographed big pandas for 3,139 days over a interval of practically 12 years. Except for the 340-day closure of the zoo as a consequence of COVID-19 and his daughter’s birthdays, he has been seen at Ueno Zoo daily.
“Through photographing giant pandas, I have made many friends and become healthier. It is also because of the pandas that I have learned more about China,” he informed Xinhua.
For Takauji, Xiang Xiang is a daughter-like determine because the panda shares the identical age along with his daughter. He has printed a lot of books, photograph albums, postcards, and calendars that includes the well-known big panda Xiang Xiang, and many of the remuneration has been donated to associated funds for the safety of big pandas at Ueno Zoo.
Currently, below Takauji’s cooperation with a division retailer close to Ueno, a photograph exhibit on Xiang Xiang is being held within the shopping center.
“Xiang Xiang has given us a lot of happiness here in Japan. I want to thank her and hope she can serve as a symbol of peace and a link between Japan and China,” stated Takauji.
Takauji stated that so long as there are big pandas at Ueno Zoo, he’ll proceed to take footage of them and share the enjoyment with extra individuals. “I will definitely go to China to see Xiang Xiang in the future,” he added.