[Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido] A collection of nostalgic past commercials
Nikaido is a shochu made in Oita Prefecture using 100% barley.
Nikaido’s commercials have been airing since 1987, with a new one released every year.
They hardly ever show product introductions or drinking scenes; instead, they’re characterized by artistic visuals that strikingly capture nature, townscapes, and everyday scenery from various regions.
What’s even more iconic—so much so that it defines “a Nikaido commercial”—is the narration with its unique atmosphere.
Evoking nostalgia and speaking straight to the heart, these commercials have built a devoted following since they first began airing.
In this article, we’ll catalog Nikaido’s commercials and introduce their distinctive worldview.
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[Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido] Compilation of Nostalgic Historical Commercials (1–10)
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “Lines that Engrave the Heart” (version)
When you watch this commercial that aired in 2013, doesn’t it bring back memories of your elementary school days? As the narration says, those days were ordinary, but looking back now, they feel truly irreplaceable.
Once you become an adult and start to see the world differently, many of us find ourselves wishing we could go back to those days.
The footage features locations such as Hiramatsu in Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Momochiya Stationery Store, and the Tsue-tate Onsen Hall in Kumamoto Prefecture.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido ‘Showa Mother’ Edition
The “Showa Mother” version released in 2012.
The narration that speaks of things “taken in exchange for the future” deepens the sense of nostalgia in this commercial.
If you remember that era, you’ll recognize many familiar items that evoke the Showa period: a kitchen with a retro feel, a kappogi apron, and a foot-operated sewing machine.
She gets angry often, but she’s stronger and more dependable than anyone—an affectionate mother.
Watching this commercial makes you remember that kind of mother and want to go see her.
The footage features locations such as Tagawa-Ita Station in Fukuoka Prefecture, Gado-an, and Fukuoka City Zoological Garden.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “People Reading Books”
The 2019 spot “People Who Read Books.” Nikaido’s commercials are often nostalgic, but this one has a bright tone in both music and visuals.
In modern times, we live in an online society where even personal comments on social media can become news.
In that context, having time alone to quietly immerse yourself in the world of a book and feel your heart leap might be surprisingly precious.
The locations featured in the footage include Minato-machi in Moji Ward, Fukuoka, the former Osaka Shosen building, and Suzaki Park.
[Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido] A Compilation of Nostalgia-Inducing Historic Commercials (11–20)
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido ‘Crystals of Memory’ Edition
The 2020 “Crystals of Memory” edition, with its wistful music and tender, melancholy narration, likely evokes nostalgic memories for everyone.
Sounds and scents are deeply tied to memory and can suddenly trigger recollections, can’t they? Though it’s a commercial, it feels luxuriously like listening to a poetry reading.
It makes you want to sip a drink under a crescent moon and reminisce about the good old days.
The footage features locations such as the Miike Coal Mine and Nata Coast in Fukuoka Prefecture, as well as Takashi Matsuura’s studio at the former Kuno Residence.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “Twilight Memories” Edition
While feeling a tender affection for the version of myself who knew nothing, I carry the life I’ve walked so far on my back and move forward… Every Nikaido Oita Mugi Shochu commercial truly puts me in a nostalgic mood.
The “Twilight Memories” installment aired in 2011.
The visuals feel like turning the pages of an old diary one by one, and even though the scenery should be unfamiliar, I can’t help but think, “How nostalgic.” If you were to meet your past self, what words would you say? It’s a commercial that really sparks the imagination in many ways.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido ‘My Path’ Version
The “My Way” version released in 1992.
Nikaido’s commercials often feature expressions that evoke “life,” and this one literally takes life itself as its theme.
As we live, we touch, feel, and encounter many things.
That kind of story is packed into the narrated words.
Trains and tracks that suggest a journey, a man and woman’s parting—scenes that anyone can relate to in life are depicted here.
The footage includes Yusubaru Station in Fukuoka Prefecture and the section between Higashi-Fukuma and Togo stations on the JR Kagoshima Main Line.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “Cinema Glass” Version
The whirring sound of the projector heightens the sense of nostalgia in the “Cinemaglass” spot.
In the commercial, buildings in Fukuoka and Kumamoto are used as if they were movie theaters.
Perhaps what the rattling, spinning projector is showing is one’s own life up to now.
You leave your hometown with a dream, and no matter how that dream turns out, everyone has a place they can return to.
The narration makes you feel that way.
Like in this commercial, when you’re tired of chasing your dreams, it might be good to go back home for a while.
