JR commercial roundup. A comprehensive look at commercials where you can see the trains!
You’ve probably often seen JR commercials—JR has a rail network spanning all across Japan—while watching TV or browsing video sites.
They’re full of things that make you want to go out, like announcements about great deals and travel campaigns you can enjoy using JR lines.
What’s more, JR commercials feature all kinds of trains, from the Shinkansen to popular limited express trains, so they’re fun to watch for the visuals alone.
We’ll be introducing JR commercials both old and new, so be sure to check them out.
- A roundup of JR Central commercials. The direction that conveys the allure of travel is captivating, and the music is also a highlight!
- JR East commercial. A compilation of commercials showcasing beautiful scenery.
- JTB commercial. A collection of commercials that make you want to go on a trip.
- JR commercial roundup. A comprehensive look at commercials where you can see the trains!
- [J:COM Commercials] Popular and All-Time Commercials Summary [2026]
- JR’s CM song roundup, including SKISKI and more
- [Famous] Compilation of Local Commercials from Across Japan
- [JAL] A collection of Japan Airlines commercials: ads introducing fun journeys in the sky
- A roundup of commercials featuring enka singers—from ones where you can hear their singing to fun and quirky spots.
- JRA commercial roundup. Cool commercials from the Japan Racing Association featuring racehorses.
- A commercial featuring Yuriko Yoshitaka. From long-running, classic spots she’s appeared in to the latest ads.
- Compilation of commercials featuring Kanjani Eight. Also introducing ads in which individual members appear.
- [April 2026] Introducing the latest commercials all at once! A roundup of noteworthy ads
JR commercial roundup. A comprehensive showcase of ads featuring trains! (21–30)
JR East “JR SKISKI” 1996
I’m the same way, but if you spent your youth in the 1990s, you probably remember how Tetsuya Komuro’s songs were like the soundtrack of everyday life, playing everywhere you went.
Back then, as part of the “Komuro Family,” many groups and artists kept delivering massive hits, and among them, globe—the group Komuro himself was in—became hugely popular, releasing one hit after another since their 1995 debut and leaving their mark on Japanese music history.
DEPARTURES, used as the theme song for JR East’s ski trip campaign “JR SKISKI,” was globe’s best-selling single, with an astonishing total of 2.288 million copies sold.
It’s a classic masterpiece where Komuro’s characteristically wistful piano tones blend perfectly with digital beats, and KEIKO’s clear, high-toned voice rings out beautifully over the track.
Many people were surely captivated by the commercial featuring Yutaka Takenouchi and Makiko Esumi as a couple.
JR Central ‘Hometown Express (Christmas Edition)’
When it comes to this exceptionally famous song, explaining it almost feels unnecessary.
Among the works of the genius musician Tatsuro Yamashita, this is one of the most popular, and as the nationally beloved Christmas song “Christmas Eve,” it first appeared on the 1983 album MELODIES.
It was released as a single the same year and became a long-running hit.
A few years later, in 1988, it was used in a JR Tokai commercial featuring Eri Fukatsu, who was 15 at the time, which propelled it to nationwide recognition.
The following year, in the 1989 CM series “Christmas Express,” Riho Makise, then 17, also appeared—something many will fondly remember.
It’s no exaggeration to say that this song transcended the bounds of a mere hit and helped establish in Japan the cultural notion of Christmas as a time for couples to spend together.
JR Central #Tokyo Thrills: “Art” EditionSosuke Ikematsu
This is a JR Central commercial promoting the appeal of sightseeing in Tokyo.
Sosuke Ikematsu gazes at his smartphone, murmuring, “I feel like I look at the same things every day.” In the next cut, he moves into the Mori Building Digital Art Museum and is overwhelmed by its beauty.
The line from a young girl, “There’s nothing else like it—Tokyo,” is also striking, painting the city of Tokyo as remarkably captivating.
JR East ‘Enjoy! SixTONES, Enjoy! Shinkansen.’ versionSixTONES
This commercial showcases how JR East’s Tohoku Shinkansen supports enjoyable journeys, as portrayed through SixTONES.
The direction is striking, with a scene moving from underground to above ground where the light comes into view, positively expressing the moment of setting off on a trip.
The sight of the Shinkansen racing through vast landscapes is another highlight, conveying the excitement of departing for new places.
Further heightening that sense of anticipation is SixTONES’ song “Shine with U.” Its brilliant sound and lively vocals leave a strong impression, evoking expansive scenery and a forward-looking feeling.
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 West ICOCA to iPhone. “Just import it—super smooth.” / “Even charging is super smooth.”High Heels Ringo, Yuna Furukawa
These are two commercials showing Yuna Furukawa introducing Apple Pay’s ICOCA to Ringo.
In both ads, Ringo tries to use a physical ICOCA card, and Furukawa presents how importing ICOCA into an iPhone makes it much more convenient.
The spots highlight that it’s easy to set up and handy to use, and many viewers likely thought, “I want to try it,” after hearing her explanation.
JR East Japan Suica Renaissance Vol.1 “teppay” EditionYumi Kawai
Starting with a scene of Yumi Kawai enjoying pancakes and a drink at a café, this is an introductory commercial for teppay, a code payment service that JR East plans to offer.
Teppay is a code payment service usable within the Mobile Suica app.
The commercial mentions that over 110 million Suica cards have been issued, highlighting how convenient code payments using the widely adopted Suica can be.
It also showcases other appealing features of teppay, likely leaving many viewers thinking, “I want to try it when the service launches!”