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[Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido] A collection of nostalgic past commercials

Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

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.

[Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido] A Compilation of Nostalgic Historic Commercials (41–50)

Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “Library of the Sand Dunes” Version

Oita Mugi Shochu TV Commercial: Sand Dune Library Edition

This is the “Library in the Dunes” segment released in 2005.

Among the many Nikaidō commercials, this might be a favorite for a lot of people! The boy who keeps reading aloud alone in the dunes is probably chasing his dream right now.

The way he stands firm, gazing at the sunset, and the words that appear at the end of the commercial—“Do we need answers in life?”—all convey a message that encourages moving forward in your own way without worrying about others’ evaluations.

The footage features locations such as Nata Beach in Fukuoka Prefecture and the Fukuoka City Science Museum.

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Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “A Distant Yearning” Episode

Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido CM 2003 Longing far

This is the Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido commercial, “Distant Longing.” It features a man in a homburg hat and beige coat shown only from behind, reminiscing about the past as he looks up at a drawbridge.

A striking image shows a boy, seen from behind, watching a girl take a ballet lesson through a window.

The tagline is, “Is it the longing of days long past that whispers to me…?” The location appears to be Tosu Station.

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Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido ‘The Town Where the Wind Lives’ Edition

Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido CM 1994 Town the wind live

This is the 1994 TV commercial for Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido, titled “The Town Where the Wind Lives.” It’s a bold work that visualizes the wind.

Children run with windmills, bamboo blinds sway in the windows of an old house, and a bare light bulb swings.

Steam billows up from a drain, and the curtain at a public bathhouse flutters.

It evokes nostalgia and loneliness.

In the BGM, along with the singing voice, the whooshing sound of wind is inserted.

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