[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.
- [iichiko Commercials] Popular and All-Time Commercials Collection [2026]
- [Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido] A collection of nostalgic past commercials
- Nostalgic commercials from the 2000s: revisiting ads that left a lasting impression
- [Nostalgic Commercials] A compilation of commercials that aired in the Showa era
- [February 2026] Summary of Trending Latest Commercial Songs
- [Nippon Life Commercials] Popular and All-Time Commercial Compilation [2026]
- A must-see for people in their 30s and 40s! A roundup of nostalgic 1990s commercial jingles
- [Tokyo Gas] Want to watch again! A roundup of touching classic commercials
- Classic enka songs featured in commercials, along with original CM tracks, introduced together!
- [Heartwarming] Moving CM songs. Popular commercial songs
- Compilation of Gekkeikan commercials. Commercials from a Kyoto-based sake manufacturer.
- [2026] Winter commercial song. The winter song that was playing in the commercial.
- Jazz commercial songs. Popular commercial songs.
[Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido] A Collection of Nostalgia-Inducing Historic Commercials (21–30)
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “Vanished Footprints” Version
The more regrets you have, the richer a life you’ve led… Perhaps that’s one way of looking at it.
The “Vanished Footprints” spot is made up of various memories and flashbacks of scenes from long ago.
Even though they aren’t my own memories, I can’t help but feel a strange sense of nostalgia.
The visuals are captivating, of course, but the sound is just as important: footsteps on a gravel path, cicadas’ cries, waves rolling in—those sounds, too, evoke nostalgia.
It’s a commercial that makes you want to go back to your hometown.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido “Poem of Island Shadows” Edition
All the more because we live far away, we sometimes find ourselves thinking about the town where we were born and raised, don’t we? The “Island-Shadow Poem” installment, in particular, tickles the homesickness felt by those who lived near the sea.
Just watching it seems to carry the scent of the tide—such is its finish.
Leaving a familiar place to chase a dream, working hard, and then, in a quiet moment, feeling a swell of affection for your hometown.
That emotion is something any adult can probably relate to.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “Connecting Hearts – Autumn/Winter” Edition
In the cold season, just chatting with friends you click with can really warm your heart, can’t it? The “Connecting Hearts – Autumn/Winter” spot is a commercial that leaves you feeling cozy inside.
While waiting for a friend to arrive, you get the stove ready and start cooking.
As the narration says, many of us probably felt the most excited when we were getting ready for a field trip.
Why not share happiness with someone, just like in this commercial?
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido ‘Strait of the Sea’ Version
The 2000 commercial titled “Strait of the Sea.” In this CM, a series of fragmented memories flows by in the form of various landscapes and scenes.
The hurried climb up a spiral staircase and a woman wistfully seeing off a ship leave a lasting impression.
Perhaps these are scenes of youth spent together, or of parting chosen for the sake of a dream.
There’s a touch of melancholy, but as the narration suggests, unforgettable nostalgic memories possess a mysterious power to move the human heart.
The footage was filmed in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido ‘Taking Shelter from the Rain’ Version
The 2001 “Taking Shelter from the Rain” installment.
Rain itself is something that evokes memories, isn’t it? As the commercial says, many people are likely swept into a sea of memories when they see rain.
In any case, most of those are memories of the past—feelings that we can’t do anything about even when we recall them.
When the rain stops, we return to everyday life.
Yet the tightening ache in the chest is real, and that’s what makes it all the more heartrending.
This footage features locations such as the Nogami Yaeko Literature Memorial Museum and the Nioza Historical Road in Oita Prefecture.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido ‘Object of Time’ Edition
The 1990 “Objects of Time” edition.
This commercial has a curious line about fish that have escaped from the sea in the narration.
Perhaps it’s about thinking of a friend who set off in search of dreams and new possibilities.
A man waits with Nikaido prepared, ready to welcome those fish back and make a drink of it, so to speak.
Watching this ad makes you want to reunite with like-minded friends after a long time apart.
The beach shown in the footage is Itoshima Beach in Shima, Itoshima District, Fukuoka Prefecture.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido ‘Let’s Meet in a Dream’ Version
Back then we were definitely in love, and yet now…
This is a commercial for Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido that seems to reveal a bittersweet love story.
With edits showing multiple men and women—are they couples, married, or complete strangers?—I can’t help but imagine a story for each cut.
I find myself wondering, “What happened to them afterward?” “Did they live happily ever after?” I know there’s no way to find out, but I can’t stop thinking about it.
Strangely, the feeling after watching it is similar to how I feel when a movie ends.