Pandas with “Bangs”: Japan’s Beloved Panda Family Returns Home to China

On June 28, 2025, at 18:51 Beijing time, a specially chartered cargo flight  touched down at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. On board were four beloved giant pandas—Liangbang (良浜), her daughters Jiebang (结浜), Caibang (彩浜), and Fengbang (枫浜)—returning home after years as furry ambassadors in Japan. Their arrival marks the end of an era: the complete repatriation of Japan’s largest captive panda family, the “Bang Clan” (浜家族), to China.

The Journey Home

The four pandas departed from Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama—a park dubbed “Panda Town” for its deep ties to these bears. To ensure their comfort:

• Custom-designed travel crates allowed them to move, eat bamboo, and rest freely during the flight.

• Cabin temperature was maintained at 18–20°C, mimicking their natural cool-mountain habitat.

• Chinese keepers and veterinarians flew alongside Japanese experts, monitoring the pandas’ health throughout the 4-hour journey.

Upon landing, they were whisked to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding for a month-long quarantine. The base had pre-sterilized enclosures, stocked fresh bamboo supplies, and assigned specialized staff to ease their transition.

Meet the “Bang Sisters”

This all-female family represents three generations of Sino-Japanese conservation:

1. Liangbang (24): The matriarch, born in China in 2000. After 21 years in Japan, she returns as an elderly panda needing specialized geriatric care.

2. Jiebang (8), Caibang (6), Fengbang (4): All born in Japan. Post-quarantine, they’ll join China’s national breeding program to diversify the genetic pool.

Notably, Caibang and Fengbang once served as Wakayama’s “Traffic Safety Ambassadors,” promoting child road safety—a role so cherished that local police awarded them official certificates of thanks in May 2025 .

30 Years of “Panda Diplomacy”

The pandas’ return closes a landmark chapter in wildlife cooperation:

• 1994: China launched its first overseas panda partnership with Adventure World.

• 17 cubs successfully born—the most prolific breeding outside China.

• Innovations like natural rearing of twin cubs (a world first) emerged here, advancing global panda science.

Beyond conservation, the “Bang Clan” became cultural icons. Yongming (Liangbang’s late mate)was named “Sino-Japanese Friendship Ambassador” in 2022, while the duo received Wakayama’s “Order of Merit” in 2011. Annual events like “Panda Cultural Weeks” drew thousands of Japanese fans to celebrate Sichuan’s culture—and even inspired pilgrimages to Chengdu.

Japan’s Farewell: Tears and Temporary Flights

When repatriation plans were announced in April 2025, public response was overwhelming:

• “Last-view” tourism surge: Visitor numbers spiked, forcing Adventure World to display the pandas behind glass as they prepared for travel.

• Flights booked out: Japan Airlines added extra flights from Tokyo to Shirahama after a 4,600-passenger YoY surge.

• Panda-themed hotels sold out for months; guests cherished rooms “where every corner felt like hugging a panda”.

On June 27, crowds gathered at Adventure World for a final farewell. Many wept, leaving notes like: “You taught us love transcends species—and borders”.

Next Chapter: Retirement and Romance

After quarantine, each panda’s path diverges:

• Liangbang will retire in Chengdu with medical support tailored for elderly pandas.

• Jiebang, Caibang, and Fengbang will enter breeding programs, potentially raising a new generation of cubs.

For now, fans worldwide can follow their progress via Chengdu Base’s official channels—and Wakayama’s “Panda Town” hopes to welcome new bears soon.

As the crates opened in Chengdu, Fengbang nuzzled her keeper’s hand—a small gesture bridging two homes. For 30 years, these black-and-white envoys painted Japan-China ties in shades of trust. And while their flight lasted mere hours, the goodwill they nurtured will soar far longer.

Timeline: The Bangs’ Legacy in Japan

• 1994: Sino-Japanese panda cooperation begins at Adventure World5

• 2000: Liangbang born in China; moves to Japan10

• 2016–2020: Jiebang, Caibang, Fengbang born in Japan10

• 2022: Yongming named “Friendship Ambassador”5

• May 2025: Police award Caibang/Fengbang for traffic-safety work8

• Jun 28, 2025: All four return to China