Miyagi Prefecture’s Sendai Tanabata Festival, one of the three major festivals in the Tohoku region, is an elegant festival that fills the entire city with colorful Tanabata decorations. This year, the festival will be held for three days from August 6th to the 8th, with fewer decorations.

The Soma Nomaoi festival is held for three days in the Soma area of Fukushima Prefecture; nearly 400 warriors in traditional samurai armor ride on horseback with the banners of their various ancestral clans fluttering in the wind behind them, painting a gorgeous picture of ancient times.

The Hanagasa Festival in Yamagata Prefecture takes place on a midsummer’s evening; groups of dancers wearing straw hats decorated with safflowers, the prefectural flower of Yamagata, put on a spectacular group performance. This year, the festival will be held for three days in August, from the 5th to the 7th.

Also, Coca-Cola Slim Bottles with exclusive regional designs will be available in the three Tohoku-region prefectures of Miyagi, Yamagata, and Fukushima respectively.

■Miyagi Prefecture’s Sendai Design　
Launched in June 2018, the Coca-Cola Slim Bottle’s Sendai design features an iconic illustration of Date Masamune, the first lord of the Sendai clan, and Sendai Castle, the 620,000-goku castle that he built. In June 2021, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of this Sendai Design Coca-Cola Slim Bottle was donated to support the promotion of the tourism industry in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture. These bottles are available in Sendai and other surrounding areas.

From the right; Mr. Atsushi Kikuta, Director of the Sendai City Culture and Tourism Bureau, Mr. Isao Shiraishi, Manager of the Miyagi/Yamagata District for Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, Inc.

 

■Fukushima Prefecture’s Aizu Design　
The Coca-Cola Slim Bottle’s Aizu design, launched in August 2018, features Tsuruga-jo Castle, a designated national historic site, Akabeko, a local toy shaped like a cow that is said to bring good luck, and an Okiagari Koboshi doll, said to be the oldest folk art in Aizu. In March 2021, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of this Aizu Design Coca-Cola Slim Bottle was donated to Aizu-Wakamatsu City to help promote the tourism industry.
 

From right; Mr. Shōhei Muroi, Mayor of Aizu-Wakamatsu City, Mr. Toshiyuki Ninomiya, Manager of the Fukushima District, and Mr. Yuta Ohshima, Manager of the Koriyama Sales Center, from Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, Inc.

 

■Yamagata Prefecture’s Yamagata Design　
The Coca-Cola Slim Bottle’s Yamagata Design, released in September 2019, features packaging that condenses the sights and attractions of Yamagata; the illustrations depict the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival, with its dancers wearing the safflower-adorned hats that decorate the midsummer nights of Yamagata, the nostalgic townscape of Ginzan Onsen, with its romantic, Taisho-Era atmosphere, and the cherries that symbolize Yamagata Prefecture. These bottles are available at souvenir stores, local product fairs, supermarkets, and vending machines in Yamagata Prefecture.

 

 

【What are the Regional Design Coca-Cola Slim Bottles?】
The Regional Design Coca-Cola Slim Bottles have special packaging that makes travel more enjoyable. Since June 2017, these bottles have been designed using symbols and tourist spots from various parts of Japan, and they are available only in those regions. In each of these regions, these bottles have been popular as the perfect choice during meals and for refreshments during trips as well as for souvenirs, and have been well received by many people, so we are creating more designs to cover all of the regions of Japan.

The Regional Design Coca-Cola Slim Bottles have a unique, stylish shape and come in a drinkable 250ml size, making them even more travel-friendly; you can drink them with a meal or when taking a break to refresh yourself while traveling. They make great travel souvenirs for family and friends, and are the perfect way for visitors from overseas to enjoy a taste of Japan. The bottles are also a great way for people to show their love for their hometowns, or to bask in the feeling of their hometown when coming back in the summer.
Through this product, local residents will feel the renewed charm of their regions, and travelers will be able to enjoy a special moment on a distinctive trip.