Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama is preparing to celebrate the first birthday of its Emperor Penguin chick "Yoyo-chan" (E044), born on September 30, 2025. Emperor Penguins are an endangered species kept in captivity in only three countries worldwide, and the park has been advancing its breeding research to help carry their lives into the future, launching the "38°C MIRACLE Project" this season.
Yoyo-chan has grown through trial and error, including early-stage hand-rearing — in which Animal Edutainers wore penguin costumes to care for the chick — and training to live alongside its parents. Watched over by many guests through a 100-day YouTube livestream in its early days and showered with affection ever since, Yoyo-chan has now grown into a "sub-adult," just one step away from adulthood.
On the birthday itself, September 30, and again on October 3 and 4, the park will hold special events looking back on the 365 days of growth that guests have watched over together, celebrating Yoyo-chan's first birthday. Guests are invited to join in reflecting on Yoyo-chan's continued healthy growth and on the life that connects to the future.
About the Birthday Events
Two Online Birthday Parties on the Big Day
Morning: Instagram Live
On the morning of the birthday, Animal Edutainers will host a livestream, capturing the moment Yoyo-chan turns 1 — including a birthday present being given — in real time.
- Date and time: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (park closed that day), starting at 9:30 AM for about 15 minutes
- Streamed on: Adventure World's official Instagram
Content may change or be cancelled depending on the animals' condition.
Evening: Paid Webinar Looking Back on 365 Days of Growth (capacity 250)
In the evening, a paid webinar limited to 250 viewers will mark the occasion with a larger celebration, including the presentation of a special cake made of ice and a close-up livestream of Animal Edutainers giving Yoyo-chan a fish treat.
- Date and time: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (park closed that day), 6:30 PM to 7:10 PM
- Price: ¥2,000 per account (a portion of proceeds supports penguin breeding research)
- Format: Online (Zoom webinar)
- Capacity: 250 (registration closes once capacity is reached, on a first-come basis)
- How to apply: Terravie
- Application period: From noon on Thursday, September 3, 2026 to 3:00 PM on Wednesday, September 30, 2026
- How to join: Join via the Zoom link shown on the day in the registrant's Terravie ticket. Please do not share the link with others.
First Birthday Party at the Park
Celebrate at the park — win entry tickets to the exhibit by lottery
To celebrate Yoyo-chan's first birthday together with guests, the park will hold "Happy Birthday Party! — The Miracle of 365 Days and Secret Growth Records."
The event includes a growth talk introducing photos, videos, and episodes known only to the Animal Edutainers from birth to now, a quiz about Yoyo-chan's growth, and a grand lottery in which winners can receive entry tickets to the exhibit where Yoyo-chan lives, glass reliefs of its footprints, and more. Guests are invited to celebrate Yoyo-chan's first birthday together.
- Date and time: Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4, 2026, 4:00 PM to 4:45 PM
- Location: Center Dome
- Price: ¥1,000 per person (a portion of proceeds supports penguin breeding research; separate park admission and parking fees apply)
- Capacity: 150 per day (registration closes once capacity is reached)
- How to apply: Terravie — October 3 / October 4. Walk-in registration is also available on the day if space remains. Application links differ by date.
- Application period: From noon on Thursday, September 3, 2026 until noon on each respective event date
- Program:
- A growth talk and interactive quiz about Emperor Penguin "Yoyo-chan"
- A grand lottery for entry tickets to the exhibit where Yoyo-chan lives, glass reliefs of its footprints, original can badges, and more
Entry to the exhibit may be changed depending on the animals' condition.
Yoyo-chan's Growth Record
October 1 (Day 1)
November 4 (Day 35)
January 8 (Day 100)
March 30 (Half a Year Old)
The Naming Ceremony
As part of a project inviting the public to suggest names for the park's 19 Emperor Penguins, a naming ceremony for E044 was held on Monday, August 31, 2026. Among many submissions, the name chosen was "Yoyo-chan" — a name filled with the affection and bond of fans and Animal Edutainers who watched over the chick through YouTube livestreams and social media, calling out to it as "Yoyo-chan" since birth. Guests are invited to continue watching over Yoyo-chan's healthy growth, calling out its name along the way.
From the Animal Edutainer
Masafumi Enomoto — Penguin keeper
Career: Joined the company in 2014 and has worked in penguin husbandry since around October of that year, handling health management and breeding.
Specialty: Frying tempura batter until perfectly crisp.
"I am truly happy that Yoyo-chan (E044) is about to safely turn one. When it hatched, it was small enough to fit in the palms of my hands, but now it has grown so large that even lifting it is a challenge. I'm grateful to all the guests who have warmly watched over its growth. At the birthday event, I hope you'll join us staff in looking back on Yoyo-chan's growth so far and see how much it has grown, in person. I would also be delighted if Yoyo-chan (E044) sparks an interest in wild Emperor Penguins, and inspires action toward a world where wild penguins can live a little more easily."
The "38°C MIRACLE Project": Thinking About the Earth's Future
The "38°C MIRACLE Project" looks at the future of the global environment through the miracle of "38°C of life" — the way Emperor Penguins huddle together in extreme cold to protect their lives as a group. More than half of the world's penguin species are currently at risk of extinction. As the only park in Japan home to 470 penguins across 10 species, with the country's leading breeding track record, Adventure World aims to share the brilliance of their lives and to keep pushing forward with species conservation and steps toward the future.
As a first step in this project, the park invited the public to suggest names for all 19 Emperor Penguins living there from Monday, June 1 through Friday, July 31, 2026, receiving more than 30,000 submissions. The names chosen by the public have been announced one penguin at a time over 19 days, from Thursday, August 13 through Monday, August 31, at a daily naming ceremony. Through this naming project, the park hopes to grow the circle of "friends" working to protect the ocean the penguins call home, and their future.
