This is a snack shop inside Ueno Zoo. It was cloudy all day, which was perfect weather for walking around the park. As expected from a panda-themed park, they had "Panda Dango" treats that looked like what the pandas eat. I tried one as a snack. The taste was simple and not overly sweet, which was a nice change from the usual heavily processed and sugary dango. The cute panda logo printed on it was a nice touch!

Personally, it was just average. The meat inside the pork bun is just one thin piece, and the taste is very sweet. The shape of the panda pork bun is cute as expected. I waited in line for about 20 minutes, and it was okay. It seems strange that it takes so long just to divide the pork buns.

Arrived around 11:40 on a Sunday morning when the cherry blossoms were blooming. There was a line of about 40 people, but I decided to wait since I didn't know how many other stores there were. I waited for about 20 minutes. Finally, I got my turn and ordered the Meat Spaghetti for 770 yen, Yakisoba for 500 yen, and Pancakes for 380 yen. Luckily, I was able to secure a seat with one available. The Meat Spaghetti was just average, similar to a family restaurant, but the Pancakes were surprisingly delicious, and the Yakisoba was better than what you would get at a food stall. Overall, I was quite satisfied with the quality here. Thank you for the meal!

The weather was very nice, so I leisurely strolled through the zoo as if on a sightseeing tour! Despite the panda enclosure being by reservation only (with specified time slots), there was a huge line of people waiting to see it. It's impressive how much love Shanshan receives. For lunch, I decided to eat inside the park and bought a bamboo panda bento box and panda dango. The panda bento box was a bit messy, and when I saw it, I couldn't help but smile. The taste was okay, with the seasoned rice being lightly flavored and the other ingredients being decent. The panda dango (apparently a modified version for human consumption) had a subtle sweetness to it.

The lowest elevation area in Ueno Zoo, the East Garden, is located near the polar bear and seal exhibits. The outdoor seating area has around 150 seats, making it relatively easy to find a seat even on crowded days. The outdoor kiosk offers pre-made food items, such as yakisoba, pancakes, and panda bento boxes. The food is warm and tasty, making it a convenient option in a busy zoo where speed is important.

In the spacious rest area near the exhibit area of seals and birds at the Ueno Zoo East Garden, there is a place called Birdsong. I finally got to try the highly recommended Bamboo Panda Bento (660 yen) that my senior colleague who knows a lot about Ueno Zoo had been telling me about for a long time! When you peel back the bamboo skin, you'll see a cute panda face. It includes chicken, egg, black beans, and more, so you won't get tired of just eating rice. It was delicious!

Here is the continuation of the story from January 2020... It's Tsunukko, Chibitsunu, and their friend Nunuchan! Nunuchan and I had dinner together yesterday, and today we promised to go to Ueno Zoo in the morning. Nunu: "Our outfits and bags are matching!" Chibitsunu: "Matching~" We started by watching the pandas in the small garden where Shan Shan is. Nunu: "Hmm? Shan Shan isn't here..." Oh! I see cute ears peeking out from behind the trees. Chibitsunu: "Shan-chan is having a meal in the hammock~" Next, we moved to the garden where Shin Shin is. Shin Shin is smiling brightly. Chibitsunu: "The area for parents is a bit quieter to watch." In the neighboring garden, Papa Li Li is also having his meal. He was eating far away, but I managed to take a good picture with the zoom lens. Nunu: "Let's line up for the second viewing!" Wow, Shan Shan was having his meal in the room. Now he's eating in a very visible spot~ Nunu: "So cute~!" Sleeping while eating. Chibitsunu: "Looks like a stuffed animal, right?" Nunu: "He's eating so deliciously." After eating bamboo, Shan Shan moved to the back of the room. We found a bamboo tube. Shan Shan is shaking the bamboo tube. Sitting there looks so cute. Snacks come out from the bamboo tube. It seems fun to play and get snacks at the same time. Chibitsunu: "Eating snacks and smiling~" Next is Shin Shin's garden. After seeing Shan Shan, Shin Shin looks really big. Nunu: "Shan Shan is still child-sized." Shin Shin eats bamboo in a girly pose. She collects leaves at the corner of her mouth, then gathers them in her hand to eat. Very skillful! Nunu: "Looks like her mouth is full now." Li Li is also having his meal. He looks like he's smoking a cigarette. He came closer to us. Sitting there, he looks just like a baby panda. Chibitsunu: "So cute, Papa~" Third viewing. Shan Shan seems to be taking a nap now. After lunch, it's time to relax for Mama Shin Shin. She scratches her body with her hind legs. It's a gesture Shin Shin often does, like brushing herself for comfort. Chibitsunu: "She always falls asleep after this." Li Li is still having his meal. He has a sharp face. Nunu: "He's so cool~" Oh, his tail went up... and then there's a... Chibitsunu: "Panda's droppings~" Although it's blurred, panda droppings don't smell bad and actually have a nice scent. *Tsunukko had a rare experience of smelling panda droppings, check it out here. After relieving himself, Li Li took a nap under the tower. He likes to sleep in this spot. Since everyone is napping, let's have lunch here too! We had lunch at the Birdsong rest area shop "Fujitana" in the East Garden. The bamboo skin panda bento is a staple at the zoo, but this time, Nunuchan and Chibitsunu had the elephant bento. Nunu: "Looks delicious..." The bamboo skin elephant bento costs 580 yen. The ketchup rice has a face of an elephant made with seasoned rice. The ears are shiitake mushrooms, the eyes are black beans. Topped with tamagoyaki, meatballs, and edamame. Chibitsunu: "I wanted to eat this~" I had the onigiri lunch box for 680 yen. Grilled rice balls, gratin, fried chicken, shumai, broccoli, and kakiage. It was delicious~♪ I always have the panda dango for 450 yen when I come to Ueno Zoo. It's a human version of the nutritional supplement food that pandas eat. I heard that it comes with a card featuring Shan Shan, so I wanted it~ With this, I completed the cards for Mama Shin Shin, Papa Li Li, and Shan Shan! Nunu: "Alright, finished eating ==========="

On the first day of the New Year's three-day weekend, I went to Ueno Zoo with a close family who moved away last year. It was a bit crowded as expected due to the holiday, but the weather was nice for a walk despite the cold. With three kids in tow, we didn't make much progress as we kept going back and forth, but it was fun catching up with our friends and seeing various animals. By lunchtime, we found a less crowded outdoor seating area at "Ueno Zoo Birdsong," a shop near the polar bear and seal tanks in the East Garden, serving light meals and drinks. My daughter wanted a bento box, so I bought some snacks and warm soups to combat the freezing cold. The panda chopsticks they gave us at the food stalls were so cute! We had the Chicken Box (¥880), which included fried potatoes, fried chicken, and chicken nuggets, the Minestrone soup (¥320), and the Soy Milk Corn Soup (¥302). With the annual pass discount, we got 5% off all food items. Despite the slightly disappointing panda design on my daughter's homemade bento, she was happy, so it was all good. After lunch, we headed to the Children's Zoo Step in the West Garden, which we had reserved tickets for in the morning. It was a fulfilling day spent with old friends and their kids. I've been neglecting zoo visits due to the cold, but I think I'll start going again.

Panda bento box, I thought it was made with sticky rice but it was regular rice, and the rice was very soft and bland... Maybe it's geared towards children? But it's just too cute (´∀｀人) The ears are sweet and savory simmered shiitake mushrooms, and the eyes are black beans. Don't expect much from the taste! I wasn't expecting anything but it exceeded my imagination!! The yakisoba was surprisingly delicious! Churros were from a nearby shop. The churros were delicious!

I visited Ueno Zoo for the first time. While walking around and seeing various animals, I decided to have lunch around noon. I heard they also sell bento boxes, but since it was a hot day, I opted for chilled chicken tempura. The nori and kamaboko were decorated in a fun way. The taste was smooth and delicious.

This is a restaurant located inside Ueno Zoo. It was crowded with families who were tired from walking around the zoo. I decided to eat fried chicken instead of just having a drink for a break, which might seem strange. But they provided chopsticks, making it easy to eat and delicious. I was able to take a break here and continue exploring the zoo.

Before the full-fledged winter arrives, I went to see Shan Shan! When I arrived at 11:30 on a weekday, there was an 80-minute wait at the panda enclosure. So, I decided to go around first...and left it for later. After a while, it was lunchtime! I had the panda bento box for ¥580. There were also elephants. The bento box was served hot, maybe they microwaved it before serving. It had rice with various ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, beans, and char siu arranged in the shape of a panda's face. The taste was not as bad as I had imagined, but it was decent. Laughing. However, eating lunch outside with friends under the dappled sunlight made it taste delicious. Around 14:15, it was announced at 15:00 that the panda enclosure would stop accepting visitors, so we decided to line up. It was a 100-minute wait...but chatting with good friends made the time pass quickly, so it wasn't a big deal. However, it would be tough for children to stand and wait for such a long time. So, in this line, there were only adults waiting. It felt a bit sad that children couldn't see the animals, so I thought it would be nice if they could set aside some special time just for children to see them. Anyway, after waiting 100 minutes, seeing the live pandas was adorable! Their cuteness made all the tiredness disappear. Unfortunately, the cuteness doesn't quite come across in photos, but it was a delightful experience. Laughing.

I didn't want the summer to end, so I came to Ueno Zoo after hearing about Shin Shin becoming independent. It was a 130-minute wait on a Sunday, but I was prepared and lined up. Even though Shin Shin wasn't there, I got to see the sleeping Shan Shan and watch Li Li's poop performance, so I was very satisfied (laughs). I had lunch at the Fujitana Rest Area. I waited in line for the food shop's panda-shaped bread and bought a panda bento box. When I opened the bamboo skin, a panda appeared. I couldn't help but exclaim, "So cute!" embarrassingly. It was quite healing. I love Ueno Zoo. Thank you for the meal!

I wanted to see the pandas at Ueno Zoo, but the wait was a long 150 minutes...(-∀-) Unfortunately, I had to give up on seeing the live pandas and instead explored the zoo. For lunch, I had the Bamboo Panda Bento for 580 yen and the Elephant Bento for 580 yen. I didn't expect to see pandas in my bento, but the bento had a cute touch and was very well made! Considering the price, the performance was quite good. (*｀･ω･)ゞ

I heard about the news that they will gradually start separating Shin Shin from Shan Shan in order for Shan Shan to become independent, so I went to see the mother and child together once again. Many others had the same idea, as there was a 2-hour wait before the opening. Finally, when I was able to see them, both Shan Shan and Shin Shin were fast asleep. I decided to wait in line again and spend the whole day if necessary to see them together. During lunch break, I went to the shop in the East Garden near the panda enclosure. It's not just a regular shop, there are tables set up under the wisteria where you can take a break, similar to a restaurant terrace. - Draft beer: 550 yen (served in a plastic cup, but with fine bubbles and nice coldness) - Bamboo Panda Bento: 580 yen (wrapped in bamboo skin, with a cute panda face on top, tasty soy sauce flavor) - Tonkatsu Sandwich: 700 yen (a thick tonkatsu sandwich with delicious sauce, same price as regular places, good quality) After a relaxing break, I finally saw the pandas moving. Li Li and Shin Shin were sitting like pandas in a service shot while eating. Shan Shan was alone, searching for bamboo to eat. He has grown a lot and I couldn't see him clinging to his mother like he did two months ago. It's the law of nature, but it made me feel a bit lonely.

Here is the continuation of our second day in Tokyo, where we visited Ueno Zoo in the morning. There was a sign on the right side of the main gate celebrating the 1st birthday of Shan Shan. Shan Shan loves apples, and in all the photos, he is seen eating apples carefully. We started our first viewing from the small garden where the father panda, Li Li, was. We couldn't get a good picture of him, so we moved on to the big garden where Shan Shan and his mother were. Shan Shan was playing with a log in the back, having fun. It was amusing to see him following his mother around, even when playing alone. We finished our first viewing and moved on to the second one. Li Li, the father panda, was resting after breakfast, just like the day before. Shan Shan and his mother were also in their enclosure. Shan Shan was trying to play with his mother while she was eating, but she skillfully defended herself. Shan Shan then played alone, showing how pandas are really interesting. After the second viewing, we visited a shop inside the zoo and tried the Ueno Zoo Original Panda Dumplings. They were delicious and came with a card featuring Li Li. We finished our visit with a final viewing of the pandas, where we saw Shan Shan and his mother sleeping in funny positions. It was a fun and interesting experience, but we had to leave for our next destination in Kanagawa. Next up, we will be moving to Kanagawa. Stay tuned for the next part!

I went to Ueno Zoo to see Shan Shan. I found this meal there. I was hungry as soon as I arrived in the morning... so I had it for breakfast. There was also a sundae... I couldn't resist... The cute panda meal was on the sweet side. It was surprisingly delicious for a zoo restaurant. It seems like it would be popular with children and women!

Continuation from February...We came to Tokyo for a 1 night 2 day trip starting on February 27th. Our main purpose is to see the panda at Ueno Zoo, Shan Shan. Chibitsunu: "Shan Shan, Shan Shan~♪" Actually, this is our second time coming to see Shan Shan. The panda enclosure is divided into 4 areas, and you can watch Shan Shan in each area for 30 seconds. Oh! Everyone is taking photos so quickly...Shan Shan is in this room! Ohhh! There he is walking around! So cute! Chibitsunu: "Shan Chan, over here~♪" After viewing Shan Shan, we went to see the father panda, Li Li. He looks so handsome eating bamboo. Li Li breaks the thick bamboo into thin pieces to eat. It looks like he's eating Pocky sticks. Li Li's arms are thicker and more muscular compared to Shin Shin! We were so happy to see the panda family. Chibitsunu: "Tsunu-chan, let's have a snack~♪" Oh, I was just starting to feel a little hungry. Chibitsunu, you have a good sense of timing. We bought hot dogs from a shop inside the zoo. The sausages are deliciously plump! This is a souvenir shop near the panda enclosure. They sell panda goods and snacks. It's crowded with customers. The store is also panda-themed. The line at the register is getting shorter, so let's do some shopping now. We came back to see Li Li, the father panda. Chibitsunu: "Oh, look at that tree over there!" Wow, Li Li is climbing the tree! Even though he weighs 135 kg, he climbed quite high up the tree. Chibitsunu: "It's great that we got to see such a rare scene." We saw various animals besides the pandas and enjoyed Ueno Zoo. Tonight, we will stay at a hotel in Asakusa, so let's head over there...To be continued.

I visited a snack shop near the sea where polar bears and seals are located in Ueno Zoo in Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo. I had already looked around half of the shop, so I decided to stop by for a light snack to satisfy my hunger. I ordered Oden for 450 yen, which is a winter limited menu with a cute panda-shaped fish cake. Since it was cold, I didn't hesitate to order Oden. The Oden itself seemed to be warmed up from a commercial product, but considering it's in a theme park, the price was surprisingly reasonable. It included the usual ingredients like eggs, daikon radish, and konjac, and the variety was abundant. The adorable panda fish cake was a nice touch. The broth was well-infused, and I had no complaints. I was also happy to receive mustard along with it. I also ordered fried potatoes for 290 yen. The potatoes were not too thick, similar to McDonald's style, and had a crispy texture that I personally prefer over thicker fries like KFC's. In addition to bento boxes, there were other options available, making it convenient for a quick snack. There were tables and chairs outside the shop, so I was able to take a leisurely break.

Zoo cafe. It is spacious and good for a short break. I like to take my time observing while walking around the zoo, so I appreciate having places to rest.