Back in 1984, Adventure World teamed up with Jinan Zoo (Jinan Jinniu Park) in Jinan City for a friendship partnership!
It all started in 1984 when Wakayama Prefecture and China's Shandong Province became friendship provinces. Then, in 1987, Adventure World officially partnered up with Jinan Zoo (Jinan Jinniu Park) in Jinan City, Shandong Province! From 1988, we really got into exchanging animals and staff. We welcomed 18 animals from 4 species, like red pandas, from Jinan Zoo, and we sent 13 animals from 6 species, including elephants and giraffes, from our park. For seven years, starting in 1988, we also hosted awesome cultural events like Shaolin Temple martial arts shows, acrobat performances, and Chinese product exhibitions right here! Then, in 1992, to celebrate 20 years of normalized relations between Japan and China, the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens and Shandong Province were super kind and let us bring in two golden snub-nosed monkeys from Jinan Zoo for a special four-month exhibition. These are top-tier protected animals in China and super rare to see in Japan, so it was an amazing chance for lots of our guests to see them and think about how precious they are!
Our animal exchange history with Jinan Zoo
| Year of Exchange | Animals received | Animals sent |
|---|---|---|
| 1988年 | 4 Red Pandas | 1 African Elephant, 2 Hamadryas Baboons, 4 Indian Peafowl |
| 1989年 | Eurasian Otters (3), Philippine Pelicans (7) | Masai Giraffe (1), Bengal Tigers (3) |
| 1991年 | Red Panda (1) | |
| 1992年 | Masai Giraffe (1) | |
| 1993年 | Smooth-coated Otters (3) | Asian Elephant (1) |
| Total | 4 species, 18 animals/birds | 6 species, 13 animals/birds |
Note: Does not include short-term exhibits.
Since Wakayama Prefecture and China's Shandong Province became sister cities in April 1984, cities, towns, and villages within Wakayama Prefecture have had lots of exchanges with China in areas like tourism, human resources, economy, and culture. In March 2020, we signed a memorandum of understanding with Sichuan Province for friendly relations covering tourism, disaster prevention, medical care, education, and economy. Then, in January 2022, we officially became sister cities! We're looking forward to building a long-lasting friendship for many years to come. Ever since we started the Giant Panda Conservation Joint Project in 1994, Shirahama Town and Chenghua District have been exchanging and cooperating with each other. Our park even has a sign proudly declaring us the Japan branch of the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base! When pandas born at our park returned to China, it inspired many visitors to travel to China, the pandas' homeland. In September 2007, direct flights from Japan to Chengdu started, bringing even more people to Chengdu and Wolong to meet the pandas. Also, in December 2020, we signed a memorandum of understanding on friendly cooperation. Giant pandas have played a huge role as a bridge for building trust and mutual understanding between Japan and China.
Partnerships between Wakayama Prefecture's Local Governments and China
| City/Town/Village Name | Partner City | Location | Date of Partnership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wakayama Prefecture | Shandong Province | China | April 18, 1984 |
| Wakayama City | Jinan City | China (Shandong Province) | January 14, 1983 |
| Hashimoto City | Tai'an City | China (Shandong Province) | May 13, 1987 |
| Kinokawa City | Chaozhou City | China (Shandong Province) | October 15, 2007 |
| Katsuragi Town | Laixi City | China (Shandong Province) | October 27, 1994 |
| Aridagawa Town | Guixi City | China (Jiangxi Province) | August 30, 2006 |
| Nachikatsuura Town | Anshun City (Huangguoshu Waterfall) | China (Guizhou Province) | August 29, 2006 |
| Wakayama Prefecture | Sichuan Province | China | March 24, 2020 |
| Shirahama Town | Chenghua District, Chengdu City | China (Sichuan Province) | December 22, 2020 |
| Koya Town | Gulou District, Fuzhou City | China (Fujian Province) | May 12, 2021 |
Notes: Memorandum signed Exchange of opinions