The Iichiko commercial song. A popular jingle.
Speaking of the TV commercials for Iichiko, the barley shochu from Oita Prefecture, they’ve been on the air for many years.
The cool, subdued narration set against footage from around the world has earned a devoted following.
The music used in Iichiko’s commercials has drawn attention alongside the visuals as well, featuring a variety of songs—primarily by Billy BanBan and Fuyumi Sakamoto, among others.
In this article, we’ll introduce all the songs that have been featured in Iichiko’s commercials so far!
They’re all tracks that really tug at the heartstrings and invite a touch of nostalgia, so take this opportunity to give them another listen!
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The Iichiko commercial songs. Popular TV commercial songs (41–50)
A Season Too Latebiriibanban
Because the Iichiko commercials are filmed on location overseas, just watching them makes you feel like setting off on a trip, doesn’t it? The “Ireland” installment from the 1994 commercial series also stirs viewers’ wanderlust with its beautiful lakeside scenery.
It begins with a view looking down over the lake, then cuts to a close-up of a small rowboat.
Instead of simply moving in closer to the boat, the ad intersperses scenes of forest animals, and only afterward shows a bottle of Iichiko placed at the boat’s bow—a wonderfully sly touch.
And the final scene is perfect too: accompanied by the narration, “Let’s take our time and talk once in a while,” the bottle of Iichiko floats gently on the water’s surface, wavering in the light.
A Season Too Latebiriibanban
This is an iichiko TV commercial that aired in 1998.
It shows the majestic natural scenery of Argentina, intercut with familiar images associated with the country: the feet of a couple dancing tango and the hands of a man playing the accordion.
Their faces aren’t shown, but the dancers’ upper bodies appear as silhouettes cast on a wall.
The CM song is “Ososugita Kisetsu” (The Season Came Too Late), released in 1994 by Billy BanBan.
Among Billy BanBan’s works, this piece has an especially bright tone.
If you want to savor vocalist Susumu Sugawara’s crystal-clear voice, be sure to give this track a listen.
A Season Too Latebiriibanban
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.
A Season Too Latebiriibanban
It’s a commercial created in a truly luxurious setting: the beautiful nature and scenery of Corsica, an island in the Mediterranean, and scenes of horses running gracefully.
Hearing the final line, “I walked and walked, and here I am,” I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes with nostalgia.
Speaking of Corsica, it’s known as the birthplace of Napoleon, and the idea of a doll seemingly modeled after him walking along the seashore is brilliant.
I imagine many people didn’t realize what the commercial was advertising until the very last scene.
By the way, the hauntingly melancholic song featured in the CM is “Ososugita Kisetsu” (The Season Came Too Late) by Billy BanBan.
A Season Too Latebiriibanban
Set against the seas of Portugal, which dominated regions around the world during the Age of Discovery and reigned as a maritime empire, this video impresses with a clever move: weaving in illustrations of carracks, the ships that flourished in that very era.
It’s also amazing how casually it slips in iichiko’s illustration, creating a mood as if it were something favored in Portugal during the Age of Discovery.
The sensibility of Shuuya Kawakita, who oversaw iichiko’s product planning and commercials, truly shines.
Combined with the narration, “There was a time like that long ago,” and the wistful melody of Billy BanBan’s song ‘Ososugita Kisetsu’ (Too Late a Season), it all feels deeply nostalgic.
I’m falling in love with you againSakamoto Fuyumi
In the 2008 iichiko commercial titled “Meditation,” the familiar Koji Matoba appears in traditional Japanese attire.
Like a period drama, the main scene shows Matoba meditating.
There are no lines in the first half of the commercial, which conversely highlights Fuyumi Sakamoto’s background song, ‘Mata Kimi ni Koishiteru.’ Although Matoba is merely sitting, his presence conveys strength and conviction.
Love is like a prayer.Sakamoto Fuyumi
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.