[Release on July 21] (Advance Sales Available) 'Waka' Issue 50 Packed with Panda Photos and Episodes! A Complete Commemorative Issue for Your Collection!

This special issue, titled 'Panda Memories Woven Together by Everyone,' is entirely dedicated to panda photos and memories. You can reunite with pandas returned to China, such as Xiang Xiang, Xiao Lei, and Tan Tan, as well as the Hama family, through the pages of this magazine. Furthermore, a related 'Waka' project Sichuan tour will be held (see below for details).

To commemorate the release of this special issue, which tightly condenses the charm of pandas and the history of Sino-Japanese exchange beyond just cuteness, a fair in collaboration with bookstores is scheduled to begin on July 15. The participating locations are Asia Pacific Tourism Co. (Roppongi), Toho Shoten (Jimbocho), Uchiyama Shoten (Jimbocho), and Sanseido Bookstore Nagoya Main Store (Nagoya).

Advance sales of Issue 50 will also be available exclusively at the fair.

[Feature Overview]

The panda photo contest, part of the 'Waka' project, was held from March to May. The submitted photos and messages are presented as close to the original as possible, categorized into four locations: Ueno Zoo, Adventure World, Oji Zoo, and the Ya'an, Wolong, and Chengdu Panda Bases in Sichuan Province, China. Interviews with Mr. Ouyang An, Chief Representative of the China National Tourism Administration Tokyo Office, Mr. Toshimitsu Doi, Chairman of the Panda Protection Association of Japan, Mr. Takahiro Kōshi, organizer of 'Mainichi Panda,' and Ms. Fumimi Futaki, panda writer, are also included.

The panda photo contest is scheduled to be held again next year!

Photo Contest Official Website

Recommended Points

Packed with adorable photos of Xiang Xiang, Xiao Lei, Ri Ri, Shin Shin, Tan Tan, and the Hama family including Eimei and Ryo Hin! Each photo is accompanied by comments that vividly recall the circumstances and feelings at the time of shooting, allowing you to fully appreciate the richness of pandas' expressions and movements.

◆ Feature: 1487 Gazes and Memories

Ueno Zoological Gardens / Submitted Works

Interview with Panda Watcher Takahiro Kōshi

Adventure World / Submitted Works

Kobe Municipal Oji Zoo / Submitted Works

Interview with Panda Writer/Illustrator Fumimi Futaki

Ya'an, Wolong, Chengdu Panda Bases in Sichuan Province, China / Submitted Works

Interview with Toshimitsu Doi, Chairman of the Panda Protection Association of Japan

Interview with Ouyang An, Chief Representative of the China National Tourism Administration Tokyo Office

[Publisher's Online Shop]

https://visitasia.theshop.jp/items/149670658

[Amazon]

https://amzn.asia/d/0fni9IZ7

[Rakuten Books]

https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/18674271/?l-id=search-c-item-text-01

Overview of the 50th Issue Release Commemorative Fair

Fair Dates

July 15 onwards

Toho Shoten

1-3 Kanda Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0051

Uchiyama Shoten

1-15 Kanda Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0051

Sanseido Bookstore Nagoya Main Store

Takashimaya Gate Tower Mall 8F, 1-1-3 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 450-6608

*An in-person event by the publisher is also planned for August!

Asia Pacific Tourism Co.

TBK Building, 6-19-46 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052

*Check the official 'Waka' X account for the latest fair information!

Sichuan Province 'Waka' Panda Tour

A reunion tour to share our feelings for pandas and connect to the future

Plan A: 'Tour with Toshimitsu Doi, Chairman of the Panda Protection Association of Japan' (tentative)

4 nights, 5 days: November 20, 2026 - November 24, 2026

Plan B: 'Tour with Takahiro Kōshi, Panda Watcher' (tentative)

4 nights, 5 days: January 21, 2027 - January 25, 2027

Back Numbers

'Waka' Issue 41

Giant pandas, with their innocent appearance and innate 'moe' factor, have garnered countless fans worldwide. In Japan, the boom started in 1972 with Kan Kan and Ran Ran, gifted by China to commemorate the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China. The immense popularity of Xiang Xiang, who returned to China last year, is also fresh in our memories. Meanwhile, in China, the top idol panda 'He Hua,' who gained popularity online, has sparked an unprecedented panda boom. This issue extensively features pandas from both Japan and China, and explores why we love pandas. It also includes the results of the SNS photo contest, with many wonderful photos submitted by our readers. Please get your hands on this new publication, packed with panda information, and immerse yourself in the world of pandas.

Purchase Here

'The 1415-Day Growth Record of Xiao Xiao and Rei Rei'

Ueno's popular twin pandas, Xiao Xiao and Rei Rei. This is a complete commemorative photo book that captures their growth from birth to their fourth birthday with approximately 200 carefully selected photos. The photography was handled by Takahiro Kōshi, a 'panda watcher' who has visited Ueno Zoo daily and taken tens of thousands of panda photos. Numerous miraculous shots, filled with years of observation and affection, are condensed into this single volume. In addition to the adorable Xiao Xiao and Rei Rei, the book also features plenty of images of their mother, Shin Shin. You can enjoy the daily lives and growth moments of this affectionate 'panda family' with a sense of immediacy. This is a commemorative photo book for Xiao Xiao and Rei Rei's fourth birthday, documenting their precious four-year journey from their birth on June 23, 2021, to May 2025. A must-have for fans!

Purchase Here

Magazine Information

Title: 'Waka' Issue 50

Price: 2200 yen (tax included) [2000 yen excluding tax]

Release Date: July 21, 2026 (First Edition, First Printing)

ISBN: 978-4434381966

Published by: Asia Pacific Tourism Co., Ltd.