![[Nostalgic Commercials] A compilation of commercials that aired in the Showa era](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XFiccrmQpH8/hqdefault.jpg)
TV commercials vary by era, and when you see them again after a long time, many of them feel nostalgic, don’t they?
In particular, from the 1970s to the 1980s—the latter part of the Showa era—many distinctive commercials were aired.
Catchphrases used in those ads were chosen as buzzwords, and songs featured in them became huge hits, making quite the splash in various ways.
In this article, we’ll introduce a whole collection of those nostalgic commercials from the Showa period.
They range widely from spots with a completely different flavor than today’s commercials to ones that have become enduring classics even now, so please take your time and enjoy.
- Catchy Showa-era commercial jingles. Introducing famous songs recently featured in commercials, too!
- [Funny Commercials] Hilarious! Memorable Ads
- Catchy commercial jingles. A roundup of those songs grabbing attention in ads!
- Unforgettable! Memorable commercial jingles. Popular commercial songs.
- [Kansai Region Local] A compilation of local commercials broadcast in Kansai
- [From timeless classics to the latest hits] A roundup of catchy commercial songs
- Compilation of candy commercials: from the latest to nostalgic ones
- Nostalgic commercials from the 2000s: revisiting ads that left a lasting impression
- Funny commercial song. Popular funny commercial songs.
- Commercial songs from the 70s. Nostalgic TV commercial jingles.
- Shampoo commercials: A roundup of popular products’ ads from each manufacturer
- [I want to hear it again!] Songs from Suntory commercials. Popular commercial jingles
- Commercials by Coca-Cola Japan: A collection of ads for popular products like Coke and I LOHAS.
[Nostalgic Commercials] Compilation of Commercials Aired in the Showa Era (1–10)
Japan Coca-Cola I feel Coke
Among Showa-era commercials, the 1987 Coca-Cola ad is especially acclaimed as a masterpiece in the advertising world.
Its nostalgia-filled footage, packed with the atmosphere of the time, will likely bring memories flooding back at a single glance.
The background song “I feel Coke 87” is also a timeless classic among commercial jingles, and it drew attention again in 2023 when a cover version of the song was featured in a new commercial.
Japanese National Railways ‘A Good Day to Set Out’ Campaign
This is a TV commercial from the Japan National Railways’ “A Good Day to Set Out” campaign, broadcast in 1978.
Multiple JNR trains appear, making it a delightful video for railway enthusiasts.
The background music is another highlight: the song ‘Good Day to Set Out’ was created specifically for this commercial.
After its release, it became one of Momoe Yamaguchi’s signature songs and has continued to be cherished as a classic of the Showa-era pop canon.
Hitachi, Tree of Hitachi
It’s not a product commercial, but a corporate/group ad.
If I say the commercial with the big tree, you probably know which one I mean.
You can always see it at the end of “The World’s Mysteries.” That tree is a monkeypod located in Moanalua Gardens on Oahu, Hawaii.
It’s 25 meters tall and an impressive 40 meters wide.
Some of you might say, “I’ve seen it in Hawaii.” The phrase “Everyone gathers, everyone contributes, and we take on something new” has remained unchanged for a long time.
It’s a commercial jingle that even kids can’t help but sing.
Meiji Suginoko Village
Kinoko no Yama and Takenoko no Sato are still on the market today, but if you were born in the Showa era, you might remember there was another snack in the family.
That was Suginoko Mura.
This is a commercial for Suginoko Mura that aired in 1987, and many of you may have felt nostalgic watching it, thinking, “Oh right, there was a snack like that!”
Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare Regain ‘Badge of Courage’
This is the “Mark of Courage” series of commercials that became a hot topic for the catchphrase “Can you fight for 24 hours?”—which even became a buzzword at the time—featuring actor Saburo Tokito appearing as “Ushiwakamaru Saburota” in an Ushiwakamaru costume.
The CM was so popular that a CD was even released under the name Ushiwakamaru Saburota.
You could say this was also the point where the cool actor Saburo Tokito began to take on a more comical, lighthearted image.
Renown
This is a commercial that promotes the apparel maker “Renown” with a light, breezy vibe.
The CM song ‘Wansaka Musume’ is well-known, and it really conveys the excitement of dressing up in stylish fashion.
The light-footed dance that goes with the song is also memorable, lively capturing the fun of fashion.
While the name Renown and the high energy come across, by deliberately not depicting anything else, it leaves viewers wondering what kind of company it actually is.
Bunmeido Castella
This is a commercial from Bunmeido of Nagasaki, memorable for its catchy original jingle: “Castella is number one, the telephone is number two, the 3 o’clock snack is Bunmeido.” Many people probably still remember this ad, including the song.
In fact, “the telephone is number two” referred to their phone number at the time, and it’s said that even now the head office—and some branches and factories—still use phone numbers that end in 2.