Ueno Zoo Tickets (2026): Are the Pandas Still There, and Do You Need to Book?
If you are going to Ueno Zoo for the pandas, there are none to see right now. The twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei left for China on January 27, 2026, and the zoo has not announced new ones.
The zoo itself is still a cheap, easy half day: ¥600 for adults, free for children up to the end of elementary school, and no booking needed. We checked the zoo's official fee, access and news pages on Nov 7, 2026.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. We give the official gate price so you can compare.
Are there still pandas at Ueno Zoo?
No. The zoo's news page records it step by step: the return was announced on Jan 21, 2026, the twins left the zoo on Jan 27 and they reached the Ya'an base of China's giant panda research centre on Jan 31.
Since then the zoo has not announced new pandas. Its October 2026 "Panda Day" was a set of talks and an online lecture, not a new arrival. Until it announces one, there are no giant pandas to see at Ueno.
The zoo's news list: the three January 2026 posts about the twins' return, and no post about new pandas.
The fee page: no panda reservation or lottery, only the normal ticket prices.
Is Ueno Zoo still worth it without the pandas?
For ¥600, yes, if you're already in Ueno. It was Japan's first zoo, opened in 1882, split into an East Garden and a West Garden, and an easy outing with children. Animals include Sumatran tigers, Asian elephants and pygmy hippos, and a small electric cart (the "Hashibiro Cart") shaped like a shoebill runs around the grounds.
If pandas were the only reason, skip it and spend the time at the Tokyo National Museum in the same park instead.
Where should you buy tickets?
Ticket machine at the gate
¥600 for adults. Entry and sales stop at 16:00. Free visitors (elementary and younger) walk straight to the gate without a ticket.
Asoview (the zoo's ticket seller)
The zoo's "online ticket" page sends you to Asoview. The ticket is for the date you pick, and you show a QR code at the gate. Pay by Visa, Mastercard, JCB or Paidy.
Klook e-ticket
An English booking page with a QR ticket. Compare its price with the official ¥600 before you buy.
Affiliate linkSmall rules that catch people out
It's 16:10 and the gate won't sell me a ticket
Entry and ticket sales end one hour before closing, so at 16:00.
We bought tickets but ran out of time
Tickets from the gate machine have no expiry date, so you can use them on a later day as long as the ticket type is still readable. Online tickets are only for the date you chose.
Can I pay by card?
Yes. The fee page lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and Diners. Suica, PayPay, Alipay and WeChat Pay work at the staffed windows.
It's Monday
Mondays are closed, except some Mondays on the zoo's calendar. If Monday is a national holiday, it opens and closes on Tuesday instead.
Do I need ID?
Only for discounts: the zoo asks visitors 65+ and junior high students to bring proof of age.
The animals were already inside before 17:00
Some animals go into their night quarters before the zoo closes. The zoo lists the times on its site, so see the ones you care about earlier in the day.
How to get to Ueno Zoo
An IC card works on all of these. How to get a Suica → Coming straight from the airport? Narita to Tokyo, compared →
Make a day of it in Ueno
Tokyo National Museum
The national collection of Japanese art, across Ueno Park. Adults ¥1,000.
Tokyo Subway Ticket
Unlimited Tokyo Metro and Toei rides for 24–72 hours. Whether it pays off depends on how many rides you take.
Affiliate linkWill the pandas come back?
Nothing official yet. If Tokyo announces new pandas, we'll add the date and any viewing rules here. Until then, treat Ueno Zoo as a cheap, relaxed stop rather than a must-book.