Ueno Zoo, Japan’s oldest zoo (opened in 1882), is located inside Ueno Park—a historic hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spot. For decades, meeting at the entrance’s iconic monorail station has been a rite of passage for Tokyo couples. Why?
For singles, the enclosure is a gauntlet of desire. Observing a male gorilla’s courtship display—the chest-beating, the leaf-in-mouth gesture—becomes a silent critique of human masculinity. One viral tweet from last year read: "My boyfriend spent ten minutes explaining the gorilla’s mating strategy. I spent ten minutes wondering if he has one." Ueno Zoo, Japan’s oldest zoo (opened in 1882),
Animal Attraction: Romance and Relationships at the Tokyo Zoo For singles, the enclosure is a gauntlet of desire
Conversely, the rowboat pond at Inokashira Park Zoo (adjacent to the zoo) is legendary for a curse: if a couple rows a boat together there, they will break up within a month. Superstitious Tokyoites avoid it like the plague, while cynical singles row there deliberately. I spent ten minutes wondering if he has one
From the heartbreaking celibacy of Ri Ri and Shin Shin to the infidelity of a penguin, from stalkers to zookeeper flings, these enclosures hold up a mirror to human folly. The animals may be behind bars, but in Tokyo, it’s often the people who are trapped—looking through the glass, searching for a connection that feels as rare and precious as a breeding giant panda.