A roundup of JR Central commercials. The direction that conveys the allure of travel is captivating, and the music is also a highlight!
In addition to the Tokaido Shinkansen connecting Tokyo and Osaka, JR Central operates conventional railway lines in the Tokai region.
Many of you have probably used the Tokaido Shinkansen at some point, haven’t you?
JR Central’s commercials, many of which feature the Shinkansen, are actively broadcast.
In this article, we’ll introduce all of JR Central’s commercials that have aired so far.
The highlights are the commercials that capture the joy of travel, and we encourage you to pay attention to the music as you watch.
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JR Central CM roundup: captivating presentations that convey the allure of travel, with music worth noting! (1–10)
JR Central “Off to Nara: Yakushiji” EditionNEW!Ryohei Suzuki
This commercial from JR Central’s travel-promotion campaign “Iza Iza Nara” was released in March 2026.
Set at Yakushiji Temple, it shows scenes of listening to the head priest and experiencing sutra copying.
In the latter half, it also features enjoying local cuisine and music, and the tagline “Nara is interesting because you go” leaves a strong impression.
JR Central: Supporting ‘Let’s Go Meet.’ “It’s not just that we’re gathering.” (version)
People boarding the Shinkansen to head to all kinds of event venues—music concerts, comedy shows, baseball games—are shown alongside the charged atmosphere at those venues.
The commercial conveys the message that they’re not just going to a venue or a gathering; they’re going to meet someone.
It’s a lovely expression that makes you feel as if the distance between you and your favorite performer has suddenly grown much smaller.
The background music is an instrumental brass arrangement of UA’s “Ai ni Ikou” (Let’s Go Meet).
Its flowing melody really sticks in your head after just one listen.
JR Central “X’mas EXPRESS ’90”NEW!Rina Takahashi
This is the 1990 version of the classic X’mas EXPRESS commercial series.
Rina Takahashi is dejected because she can’t reach her partner on Christmas, but when she returns home she finds a note on the front door with the meeting place written on it.
The image of the woman running with a smile to reunite with her partner was memorable.
The commercial featured Tatsuro Yamashita’s Christmas Eve, which has been used throughout the series.
In contrast to the content of the ad, the lyrics poignantly depict spending Christmas alone.
JR Central TV commercials roundup: captivating direction that conveys the allure of travel, with music worth noting! (11–20)
JR Central “Xmas EXPRESS ’91”NEW!Miho Mizobuchi
This is the 1991 Xmas EXPRESS commercial featuring Miho Mizobuchi.
It depicts Mizobuchi waiting for her partner in front of a large Christmas tree.
She looks anxious as her partner doesn’t show up for a while, but it’s lovely how her expression suddenly brightens at the end of the commercial.
The familiar Christmas Eve is used as the BGM.
It’s a signature song by Tatsuro Yamashita, released in 1983, and has long been loved as a classic Christmas and winter song.
JR Central “Xmas EXPRESS ’92”NEW!Takami Yoshimoto
In the 1992 Xmas EXPRESS commercial, the series came to a temporary end that year.
This time, Takami Yoshimoto appeared as the heroine, walking along the Shinkansen platform in search of her partner.
Though she has trouble finding them at first, her partner appears near the end of the commercial, and they embrace in tears.
The direction makes you imagine the hidden drama between the two.
The background music is Tatsuro Yamashita’s signature song, “Christmas Eve.”
JR Central ‘Christmas Express 2000’NEW!Mari Hoshino, Eri Fukatsu, Riho Makise
After the 1992 commercial, no Xmas EXPRESS ads were produced for a while, but the series made a comeback in 2000.
That revival is this one featuring Mari Hoshino.
Hoshino prepares a Christmas dinner and waits, only to get word from her partner that work has made it impossible to come.
So she hurriedly boards the Shinkansen to go to her partner.
The stylish touch is that Eri Fukatsu and Riho Makise—who appeared in the 1988 and 1989 installments of the same series—watch over her warmly.
The BGM is, of course, Tatsuro Yamashita’s Christmas Eve, a beloved classic not only for the holiday season but also an indispensable song for JR Tokai’s commercials over many years.
JR Central: ‘Yes, let’s go to Kyoto.’ 2018 Spring ‘Kanshuji Temple’
The TV commercials for the campaign “That’s right—let’s go to Kyoto,” which Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) has been running since 1993, vividly showcase tourist spots in and around Kyoto City.
The series has been so influential that many people say it inspired them to take a trip to Kyoto.
In 2018, it also made headlines when Kyozo Nagatsuka, who had served as the narrator for 25 years since the campaign began, stepped down and Tasuku Emoto was announced as his successor.
The version introduced here was released in the spring of 2018 and features Kanshuji Temple, founded in the year 900.
The CM uses the jazz standard “My Favorite Things” as its theme music.
The arrangement, notable for its mysterious harmonies in the intro, was created by musician kotringo, known for her work on the soundtrack of the film “In This Corner of the World.” The arrangement was reportedly crafted in response to a request to evoke the feeling of a celestial maiden.
