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

Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido 'Showa Mother' Edition

Nice Commercial - Nikaido Shuzo, Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido, “Showa-era Mother” Version

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 “Lines that Engrave the Heart” (version)

Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido TV Commercial: 'Lines That Engrave the Heart'

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 'Into the Depths of Dreams' Version

Nikaido Shuzo Corporate CM 'Into the Depths of a Dream'

The “Into the Depths of a Dream” segment makes you feel as if you’ve wandered into a world of mysterious tales.

The CM song that further enhances this uncanny atmosphere was created by Nobuyuki Nakatani, known for producing numerous commercial songs.

A woman practicing ballet, a woman dressed in a white bridal kimono, and a woman putting on makeup appear, each expressing different lives.

Everyone has their own hometown, and perhaps when something happens, returning there will offer clues for life.

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The story evokes just such a feeling.

Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “People Reading Books”

Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido TV Commercial “People Reading Books” (Product Advertisement)

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.

Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “Alone Time / Everyday” Version

[Special Edition] Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido TV Commercial: "Alone Time – Everyday Life"

Precisely because we live in an age where computers, smartphones, and the internet are the norm, many people can’t help but feel drawn to this kind of analog worldview.

The “Alone Time / Everyday Life” segment features a man who keeps living in an old-fashioned way.

Relaxing at a retro café, soaking in a public bath… There’s no rule that says you have to live the modern lifestyle, right? It’s a commercial that makes you think, “Let’s live in a way that suits me.” It was filmed in Fukuoka, so if you live nearby, you might spot some familiar scenery.

Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “The Power to Communicate” (commercial)

Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido TV Commercial: “The Power to Communicate”

There’s a phrase, “a cog in society,” which rarely carries a positive meaning.

But it’s only when the gears mesh that our world turns.

This is the ‘Power to Communicate’ edition, featuring many gears.

Using items like clocks and toy cars, it expresses the passage of time and the flow of moments.

Even when movements repeat, it’s never the exact same instant.

It’s a commercial that makes you reflect on the scenes that slip by and on the things working hard out of sight.

Nikaido Shuzo Oita Barley Shochu Nikaido “Traveler’s Train Window” Version

Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido TV commercial: Traveler’s Train Window edition

This is the 1999 Oita Mugi Shochu Nikaido commercial titled “Traveler’s Train Window.” It only lasts a few dozen seconds, but it’s a wonderful ad that lets you journey on an old, nostalgic wooden-floored train.

Through the train window, which runs cutting through deep greenery, all you can see is a sea of green.

And in the final scene, a man and woman dressed in white walk along a track where the sleepers have been removed, leaving it abandoned.

Despite being a series of fragmentary images, it feels very romantic.