With temperatures above 40 degrees Celcius recently breaking records in some parts of Japan, the dangers of 熱中症 nechūshō, or heat stroke, have never been felt more acutely. Naturally, heat stroke prevention measures invariably include drinking plenty of fluids.

As some of our readers may recall, Pocari Sweat is one of Japan's favorite sports drinks to rehydrate and replenish 5 essential electrolytes lost in sweat.

The subtle grapefruit-flavored restorative drink made by Otsuka Pharmaceutical since 1980, is a staple at Japanese sporting events, and even shows up at anime conventions, such as the current collaboration with Hatsune Miku at Anime Expo 2022:

However, Pocari Sweat is also making strides when it comes to caring about the environment.

Reducing the use of disposable containers is a useful way to cut down on waste, so the company has launched a new format for their popular drink in reusable glass bottles.

Not only is this a welcome improvement over plastic bottles, but the new glass bottles are also getting noticed for their cute retro design.

Pocari Sweat's cute new returnable bottles

On June 30th, 2022, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced the release of "Pocari Sweat Returnable Bottle 250 ml."

The bottles are an environmentally friendly package that can be reused many times by refilling or returning them.

The bottles will go on sale from July 12th, 2022. Here is what they look like:

There is no paper or plastic label. In an effort to reduce waste, the Pocari Sweat logo and other information are printed directly on the bottle.

The translucent light blue glass bottle and white logo seem to express the refreshing sensation of the sports drink!

The product quickly became a hot topic on the Internet, with many people commenting, "It's too cute...!" and "I want it even though it's in a returnable bottle!"

The product will be sold at shopping malls such as "Aeon" and "Aeon Style" in Japan and the used containers will be collected at special return boxes installed in the stores. Collected bottles will be cleaned and reused.

The bottle format and the crown-like cap creates a retro look that has people born in the Showa period saying things like: "How nostalgic!"

If you're suffering through the hot summer of 2022 in Japan, why not try Pocari Sweat in reusable bottles the next time you're looking for refreshment and hydration?