[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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- [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 ‘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 ‘Labyrinth of Time’ Edition
The “Maze of Time” version released in 1998.
This footage was filmed around Shinchi Town in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
It’s the perfect commercial to evoke the word “nostalgia”! I’m sure those who watched it were reminded of the places where they spent their childhood.
A hometown you cherish—something you look back on fondly, sometimes with regret, and lean on in tough times.
Some hometowns stay the same, while others change due to urban development, but the memories of the hometown we carry within us somehow never fade.
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.
Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido ‘Winds of Solitude’ Edition
This commercial features the painter Yoshiza Onidori.
In a large studio, he runs his brush across an equally large canvas… If anything embodies the phrase “a picture-perfect scene,” this must be it.
The narration saying he’s painting “for you” is also deeply moving.
The footage conveys both the importance and the difficulty of devoting yourself to something—and continuing to do it over time.
It may resonate especially with people whose hobby is making things or creating art.
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 “Water Journey” Version
The “Water’s Journey” segment released in 1988.
It’s a beautiful commercial, with various images of water, narration about becoming deliciously refined while flowing, and the sound of a flute.
It also made me feel that life has something similar to it.
In life, there are painful and difficult times, but thinking that we can shine all the more for overcoming them makes us want to keep going, doesn’t it? The footage features Kikuchi Gorge and Jion Falls in Kumamoto Prefecture, as well as the Shirakawa Spring in Shirakawa Village—now called Minamiaso Village.