[iichiko Commercials] Popular and All-Time Commercials Collection [2026]
Iichiko, an authentic shochu known for its catchphrase “The Napoleon of Downtown,” is a popular shochu you can find at convenience stores and supermarkets.
It’s a long-selling product that has been loved for many years, and in fact, TV commercials have been airing since 1986.
There are several series, including ones featuring landscapes from around the world and others with period-drama-style direction, and all of them evoke a sense of nostalgia when you watch them.
In this article, we’ll introduce those past commercials along with the music used in each.
Of course, we’ve also included the latest commercial, so be sure to check it out.
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[iichiko CM] Popular Commercials and Historical Ads Summary [2026] (41–50)
Sanwa Shurui iichiko “Talkeetna, Alaska” version
This is the “Talkeetna, Alaska” segment that aired in 2003.
The commercial song is Billy BanBan’s “Ima wa, Kono Mama.” It shows a man energetically pedaling a bicycle, with nature unfolding around him as he rides.
You can even see quintessentially Alaskan wildlife like moose and beavers.
As is customary for this series, iichiko makes a subtle appearance at the end—but this time it’s strapped to the bike’s cargo rack!
Sanwa Shurui iichiko “The Vienna Woods” Episode
When people hear “the Vienna Woods,” many classical music lovers will probably think of Tales from the Vienna Woods by Johann Strauss II, the composer who was active in and around Vienna, Austria.
But the music playing here isn’t classical—it’s Billy BanBan’s Too Late a Season, the song synonymous with iichiko’s TV commercials.
The ad shows the boundless, majestic greenery of the Alps, and an iichiko bottle set on a table bathed in light filtering through the trees appears with such utter naturalness that it’s startling.
If you think about it objectively, it’s an extremely contrived situation, yet it never feels that way.
That deft touch is quintessential Shūya Kawakita—the renowned art director who conceived, directed, edited, and narrated the piece.
Sanwa Shurui iichiko “Hita no Mori” version
In the 2011 commercial for iichiko “Hita Zen Koji,” actor Koji Matoba appears.
There’s no explanatory narration at all, yet simply seeing Matoba in traditional Japanese attire seated at the center of the screen somehow carries a convincing presence.
The familiar Fuyumi Sakamoto’s cover of “Love Is Like a Prayer” is used as the CM song, and her impassioned vocals suit iichiko’s image perfectly.
Sanwa Shurui iichiko “Lapland” Version
The “Lapland” commercial is set in Lapland, located in northern Finland.
Lapland is famous as the home of Santa Claus, and as you can see in the commercial, it’s a region that gets a lot of snow in winter.
In the ad, a man pulls a sled together with reindeer, carrying cargo.
The background music for this commercial features Susumu Sugawara’s solo song “Toki wa Ima, Kimi no Naka” (“The Time Is Now, Within You”).
While many of Billy BanBan’s songs center on metaphors and lyrical expression, this track is composed of highly complex and abstract lyrics.
If you’d like to see a new side of Susumu Sugawara, be sure to check it out.
iichiko by Sanwa Shurui “Croatia” Edition
This is the Croatia version of iichiko’s commercial released in 2007.
The song is “Mata Kimi ni Koishiteru” by Billy BanBan, a standard for iichiko ads.
It was filmed in the Kopački Rit Nature Park in the Slavonia region of Croatia, a lush park of forests and water.
The beautiful natural scenery paired with the mellow song creates a very atmospheric commercial.
SANWA SHURUI iichiko “Northern Lights” Version
The TV commercials for Iichiko, a domestically produced barley shochu that continues to stand out with its unique visual beauty and worldbuilding, feature a 2011 version titled “Northern Lights,” focusing on the Arctic night sky.
The footage of the aurora, which slowly shifts in color and shape like a natural visualizer, is so organic yet psychedelic that no VJ could recreate it, evoking the mysteries of the cosmos.
Paired with the delicate, beautiful melody of Billy BanBan’s “Ai wa Inori no You da ne” (“Love Is Like a Prayer”), please enjoy the breathtakingly beautiful visuals that will leave you momentarily speechless.
Sanwa Shurui iichiko “Wales” Version
The commercial titled “Wales,” aired in 1992, features a man playing rugby on the Welsh landscape in the United Kingdom.
The camera follows the rugby ball as it soars through the air and bounces along the ground, creating footage that feels just like an actual rugby match.
The CM’s background music is a solo piece by Susumu Sugawara, the vocalist of Billy BanBan.
His gentle voice blends beautifully with the calm, reflective atmosphere.
