As of Feb. 20 this yr, Takauji has photographed large pandas for 3,139 days over a interval of almost 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 each day.
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 normal.
Takauji, also called “Mr. Panda” for his craze for the animal, launched in September 2011 the web site of “Mainichi Panda,” which shows images he takes of large pandas in Ueno Zoo.
For almost 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 experience from his house 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 instructed 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,” mentioned Takauji, including that there will likely be a lot fewer guests when the climate is dangerous.
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 gang to seek out the proper taking pictures spot after wrapping his costly filming tools with a shawl to stop it from getting moist.
To get extra photographs of the pandas, a typical Ueno Zoo journey for Takauji means becoming a member of the queue three or 4 occasions outdoors the home of Shin Shin and her infants, ready for at the least 40 minutes every time.
The man recalled a day when he spent over seven hours ready in biting coldness to {photograph} the beloved large panda Xiang Xiang, which will likely 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 mentioned.
In the eyes of “Mr. Panda,” Xiang Xiang was definitely 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 house 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 almost three-year absence of large pandas in Ueno Zoo. One day in August he determined to go see the pair, and this informal choice modified his life.
As of Feb. 20 this yr, Takauji has photographed large pandas for 3,139 days over a interval of almost 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 each day.
“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 instructed Xinhua.
For Takauji, Xiang Xiang is a daughter-like determine because the panda shares the identical age together with his daughter. He has revealed numerous books, photograph albums, postcards, and calendars that includes the well-known large panda Xiang Xiang, and many of the remuneration has been donated to associated funds for the safety of large pandas at Ueno Zoo.
Currently, underneath 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,” mentioned Takauji.
Takauji mentioned that so long as there are large pandas at Ueno Zoo, he’ll proceed to take footage of them and share the enjoyment with extra folks. “I will definitely go to China to see Xiang Xiang in the future,” he added.