S/ NTV Reporter/ The truck carrying Ri Ri and Shin Shin is leaving for Narita Airport.

Giant pandas left Japan after 13 years at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoological Gardens on September 29.

The male Ri Ri and female Shin Shin calmly ate bamboo leaves before leaving Ueno Zoo for Narita Airport.

The 19-year-old pair were returned to China while they can still withstand the transport due to their old age and health conditions.

Around 500 fans gathered at Narita Airport to bid farewell.

S/ Fan/ I’m very sad.

Ri Ri and Shin Shin arrived on February 2011 at Ueno Zoo, which temporarily closed soon after in March due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. Many people came to see the pandas once the zoo reopened.

S/ Tomita Yasumasa, Vice Director, Ueno Zoological Gardens/ I have so much appreciation to the pandas who came when a dark shadow fell over those of us living in Japan. The pair really raised our spirits.

Ueno Zoo’s first twin panda births were Ri Ri and Shin Shin’s offsprings. The zoo was concerned about the survival of twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei in the early days.

S/ Tomita Yasumasa, Vice Director, Ueno Zoological Gardens/ Xiang Xiang, Xiao Xiao, and Lei Lei would not have been born if it hadn’t been for Ri Ri and Shin Shin. I want Ueno Zoo to continue to teach future Japanese children that pandas are born so small and grow just like this