A male smew is seen in Osaka Castle’s outer moat on Jan. 29, 2026, in the city of Osaka’s Chuo Ward. (Mainichi/Rintaro Nagasawa)
OSAKA — Black-and-white “panda ducks” have appeared in the outer moat of Osaka Castle, delighting visitors.
Actually called smews, the members of the duck family gained their nickname from the males’ white bodies reminiscent of shrine maidens’ robes, and particularly the black markings around their eyes.
The birds breed primarily in northern Eurasia and migrate to Japan for the winter. They can be seen from December to around March in large rivers and lakes across Japan.
Maki Yoshioka, 60, who visits Osaka Castle Park at least once a week for birdwatching, said, “It’s my first time seeing it, and its adorable appearance was soothing. I just saw news about pandas returning to China, so it feels like I’ve met them again.”
(Japanese original by Rintaro Nagasawa, Osaka Photo and Video Department)
AloJapan.com