Park staff see off 4 giant pandas after teary fan farewells
SHIRAHAMA, Wakayama Prefecture--Thousands of fans bid a teary farewell to a family of four giant pandas heading back to China.
On June 28, it was the turn of 300 staff at Adventure World here to bid sayonara to the animals that had captured their hearts.
A 24-year-old female named Rauhin and her daughters, Yuihin, 8, Saihin, 6, and Fuhin, 4, were all born at Adventure World, but are returning to China because the animals are owned by China.
The four pandas were placed in cages and loaded onto two trucks.
Zoo staff said the animals behaved as normal.
At a departure ceremony, Koji Imazu, the park's director, said, 'Let us all do our best so that we can show our guests the new faces of Adventure World. Let us see off the pandas with smiles.'
On June 27, the last day the pandas were made available to the public, about 3,000 people who had made advance applications gathered at Adventure World to get one final look.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NHK
6 hours ago
- NHK
Tremors rattle southwestern Japan island chain
More than 500 tremors have rattled the Tokara island chain in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima over the past week. Japanese officials warn strong jolts could continue for some time. Seismic activity has heightened in the area around Kodakarajima Island since June 21. Noticeable tremors continue in Toshima Village, which consists of Kodakarajima and other islands. A total of 525 jolts registering an intensity of 1 or higher on the 7-point Japanese seismic scale have been observed in the region as for 5 p.m. Saturday. Of these, six registered an intensity of 4 and 27 had an intensity of 3. There have been no tsunamis. The peak of seismic activity so far was Monday, with 183 jolts of intensity 1 or higher. Periods of intense seismic activity have been recorded in the region in the past. In September 2023, 346 tremors with an intensity of 1 or higher were recorded over 15 days, while in December 2021 there were 308 jolts over 26 days.
Nikkei Asia
6 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Japanese PM Ishiba absent from Europe at crucial time
Prime Minister Ishiba has visited nine countries in his first nine months in office, but none were in Europe. © Reuters JUNNOSUKE KOBARA and KANA BABA TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has not once visited Europe since taking office nine months ago, raising concern that Japan is missing an opportunity to strengthen ties with a continent that is becoming increasingly important in plans to counter China, Russia and North Korea. Ishiba had planned to attend a NATO summit held in the Netherlands on Tuesday and Wednesday, but canceled at the last minute.
8 hours ago
Paso: Honduran Coffee Along Kamakura's Backstreets
Cafés at Tokyo's Traditional Folk Houses In a slow-paced, seaside corner of Kamakura, Paso by 27 Coffee Roasters offers a variety of Honduran brews in a thoughtfully restored home, where each cup is chosen and served with care. A Quiet Café Down a Seaside Alley Tucked into a narrow lane in Sakanoshita—a neighborhood that melds Kamakura's historic charm with a seaside lifestyle—is a quiet and welcoming café: Paso by 27 Coffee Roasters. Six minutes on foot from Hase Station on the Enoden Line, Paso is devoted entirely to Honduran coffee. The café is a crossroads where contemporary coffee culture, a thoughtfully restored Shōwa-era (1926–89) home, a Kamakura seaside neighborhood, and Central America intersect. The staff call themselves 'guides' rather than baristas in keeping with their mission of introducing customers to the pleasures of Honduran coffee. The scent of the sea hangs in the air the moment I leave the station. I walk through a residential neighborhood that still retains the feel of its fishing village past, not quite sure if I am on the right path. The crunch of gravel and colorful blossoms outside homes, I later realize, are all part of the Paso experience. Paso occupies a house that was renovated by a local real estate company that specializes in restoring traditional kominka homes. The property is enclosed by a utilitarian concrete block wall, but by topping this with a board fence that recalls an earlier era, there is a blending of old and new. Shells and sea glass gathered by Paso employees from the nearby beach rest atop the wall. These local, sun-bleached treasures reflect Paso's unhurried essence. Board fencing added atop a concrete wall helps Paso blend seamlessly into the historic neighborhood. (© Kawaguchi Yōko) Shells and sea glass collected from the beach sit atop the enclosing wall. (© Kawaguchi Yōko) Visitors enter through the engawa corridor facing the garden. (© Kawaguchi Yōko) Beans from Small Honduran Growers Just past the noren shop curtain is a counter displaying four varieties of Honduran coffee. Coffee from Honduras is not yet well known in Japan, and Paso offers a perfect introduction. The café is operated by 27 Coffee Roasters, a roastery based in nearby Fujisawa that has been active in the Kamakura-Shōnan area for 25 years. The roastery's owner travels annually to Honduras, meeting small-scale growers face to face and sourcing beans directly from them. The beans differ by region and grower, and this variety is part of what makes Honduran coffee so appealing. Paso opened in 2022 as the roastery's Sakanoshita branch. Some customers may have preconceptions about the lively acidity of Central American coffee, but Paso's experienced 'guides' help them articulate their preferences and discover the right brew through casual conversation. Instead of pushing the shop's idea of the 'perfect' cup, they open the door to new possibilities and flavors. One such guide is Yamada Kōhei. He is careful not to overwhelm newcomers with too much information and instead helps people articulate what they like in their own words. Yamada prepares pour-over coffee with ease. (© Kawaguchi Yōko) Yamada has traveled to Honduras three years in a row with the roastery's owner. 'Unless you see things for yourself, it's difficult to understand all the hard work the growers put into producing their crop.' Most coffee drinkers do not give much thought to the growers' labor. 'The best way to show appreciation for their work,' says Yamada, 'is to introduce people to how good this coffee really is. I take my time enjoying coffee and dessert. The coffee I am drinking has a sweetness that is balanced by a touch of tartness. The café's Basque cheesecake is a surprising delight with its toasted surface and pudding-like center. The café's most popular dessert is Basque cheesecake. (© Kawaguchi Yōko) The coffee is served in a clear glass flask alongside a ceramic cup. The flask has no logos or markings to allow customers to admire the coffee's color, which changes depending on the depth of the roast. If you sit at the counter, reflections of hydrangeas and the plum tree in the garden ripple across its surface. The once-overgrown garden is now well tended. (© Kawaguchi Yōko) Honoring the Spirit of a Home The same conviction that guides Paso's coffee—a belief in the quality of Honduran beans—is reflected in the space it now occupies. Paso inhabits a spacious one-story home that once belonged to an elderly woman. The building's age is not known, but in renovating it, effort was made to preserve its essential character. Plywood panels from past repairs were removed to reveal original ceiling beams and roof framing. Pillars were scrubbed to a gleam, and bamboo eavestroughs were installed. Careful handwork and the use of locally sourced materials contributed to restoring the house's natural rhythm. Polished pillars and earthen flooring recall the building's past. (© Kawaguchi Yōko) The animating principle behind the renovation was not the pursuit of functionality or eye-catching design but the honoring of the house's original character. The design choices for the interior, made by the Paso workers themselves, also reflect this idea. The plain wood counters and benches are meant to draw the visitor's gaze toward the garden throughout the seasons. And the ko-agari raised tatami seating area invites customers to linger. The raised seating area is a space for a quiet moment with coffee. (© Kawaguchi Yōko) The staff's first job each morning is to slide open the wooden rain shutters. They say they even enjoy the creak—a sound that reminds them they are in an old house. Coffee and Surf Taking advantage of being near the sea, Yamada loves to surf, sometimes taking to the waves before his shift begins. 'Neither coffee nor surfing is essential to life,' he says laughing, 'but without them, the day just doesn't feel right. I love being in nature, feeling its day-to-day shifts, so this lifestyle is perfect for me.' A cup of coffee is not just about flavor or aroma. It offers a moment of stillness and quiet reflection—like floating on a morning wave—in a fast-moving world. In Spanish, paso means 'step' or 'pace'—a perfect name for a seaside café reached by slowly making your way down an alley to an unfamiliar world of Honduran coffee. Paso is an invitation to a world of quiet but charming encounters. Paso by 27 Coffee Roasters Address: 22-6 Sakanoshita, Kamakura, Kanagawa 22-6 Sakanoshita, Kamakura, Kanagawa Hours: 9:00 am–5:00 pm (last order 4:30 pm) 9:00 am–5:00 pm (last order 4:30 pm) Closed: Tuesdays Tuesdays Access: 6 minutes on foot from Hase Station on the Enoden Line 6 minutes on foot from Hase Station on the Enoden Line Website: (Japanese) (Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Pine and plum tree views from the window seat. © Kawaguchi Yōko.)
