Toyota celebrates 60 years of the Corolla and customizes Yaris Cross at the Japan Festival

Toyota do Brasil participated in the 27th edition of the Japan Festival, between July 10 and 12, at São Paulo Expo, with a program focused on the 60th anniversary of the Corolla and the customization of a Yaris Cross made in partnership with Pilot. Present in all editions of the event, the manufacturer took advantage of this year’s theme — “Kizuna – Ties that Unite” — to reinforce its historical connection with Japanese culture.

The Corolla is the highlight of the participation. Launched globally in 1966, the sedan completes six decades in 2026 and reaches the date as one of the most emblematic models in the world automotive industry. In Brazil, its history will be remembered during the festival, on the eve of a turning point in production: from November, the car will be manufactured at the Sorocaba (SP) plant.

To add to the celebration, Toyota promoted a creative action with Pilot: a copy of the Yaris Cross will be customized by illustrator Marcelo Anache with the Painter, the Japanese brand’s multi-surface marker. The intervention in the bodywork will shape a timeline that stitches together the trajectories of the two companies in the country, bringing together tradition, innovation and artistic expression.

The automaker also occupied the #FJTAON space, aimed at young audiences and Japanese pop culture. The immersive area brings together experiences related to art, technology and the geek universe, with the aim of connecting Japanese roots to contemporary languages.

Outside the booth, the festival maintains a wide cultural grid, with taiko performances, traditional dances such as Bon Odori, free origami, shodo and ikebana workshops, martial arts demonstrations, cosplay parades and a concert by Japanese singer Yumi Matsuzawa.

In the Brazilian market, the Corolla helps to explain the symbolic weight of the tribute. It arrived in the country in 1994, still imported, and started to be produced locally in 1998, at the Indaiatuba (SP) plant. According to Toyota, the model has already exceeded 1 million units manufactured and as many vehicles sold in Brazil. In 2019, the first mass-produced flex hybrid engine debuted in the world, a technology that combines electrification and the use of ethanol.