The “Past” and “Future” of iichiko: Discovering the Journey and Future of Oita’s Authentic Barley Shochu at “iichiko Design Week 2024” | Event Report

Do you have memories from your childhood?

For example, the sunset on your way home, or the summer sea.
As we grow older, memories fade, yet everyone has one or two scenes that never lose their color.

This poster has become synonymous with such nostalgic landscapes.

This is a station poster for the barley shochu “iichiko,” produced by Sanwa Shurui Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Sanwa Shurui”), headquartered in Oita Prefecture. As the name suggests, these posters are displayed at stations across Japan. You’ve probably seen them at least once.

In the confined space of a station, a landscape with depth. Though you’re seeing it for the first time, there’s something familiar about it. And when you look closely, there’s a bottle of “iichiko” sitting quietly.

Combined with lyrical copy, it evokes a nostalgic feeling, as if you’re peering through a window into scenes from “those days.”
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the “iichiko” poster.

Hello. I’m Komoto from the SUNNY DAYS editorial team, originally from Oita Prefecture.

Today, I’d like to introduce the authentic barley shochu “iichiko,” known for its nostalgic advertising.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the station posters, bottle design, advertising design, and other elements collectively known as “iichiko design,” the “iichiko Design Week 2024” was held for one week starting October 7 at Shibuya Stream Hall.

The day before, a reception party was held for media and stakeholders. SUNNY SIDE UP supported the event through press release distribution and media outreach.

So I attended the event as well. As someone from the same hometown, I have a personal connection to “iichiko,” and I’ll report on its journey and future.

Reception party

Toward Becoming a “Global Shochu”

Arriving at Shibuya Stream Hall around 6:00 PM, the venue was packed. People were waiting for the ceremony to begin, holding “Iichako”—”iichiko” mixed with green tea, distributed at the entrance.

“I didn’t know iichiko was this stylish.” Such comments could be heard here and there, revealing the high expectations of attendees.

“Iichako” is refreshing and easy to drink, with iichiko bringing out the depth of green tea.

At the scheduled time, the reception party began with opening remarks by MC and freelance announcer Maiko Ogasawara. After an opening video, President Kazunori Nishi of Sanwa Shurui took the stage, dressed in traditional haori hakama attire, referencing the fact that barley shochu is a beverage rooted in traditional koji culture.

In his greeting, he expressed gratitude for the support received thus far and shared his vision for the future.

He wants to make “iichiko” a “world-standard spirit” alongside whiskey, brandy, rum, vodka, gin, and tequila. His speech conveyed a strong conviction throughout.

So what is “iichiko’s value” in the global market? Following President Nishi, Tetsuro Miyazaki, General Manager of the Global Marketing Office, took the stage to introduce “iichiko Saiten,” which will launch domestically in spring 2025.

This beverage, developed over two years as a shochu worthy of the world stage, is a professional-use high-proof spirit co-developed with top American bartenders. Since its launch in the United States in 2019, it has received high acclaim at international spirits competitions and in the press. Miyazaki’s speech left us eagerly anticipating the domestic release of “iichiko Saiten,” which represents the “future” of iichiko.

The party concluded with a dance performance by Aoi Yamada, inspired by “iichiko Saiten.”

“Touch,” “Learn,” and “Experience” iichiko

After the fulfilling reception party, we toured the “iichiko Design Week 2024” exhibition, exploring 40 years of “iichiko design.”

The theme: the “past” and “future” of iichiko. The exhibition consists of three areas—”Touch iichiko,” “Learn iichiko,” and “Experience iichiko”—designed so that viewing them in order provides a complete understanding of “iichiko.”

Touch iichiko

The “Touch iichiko” corner displays the station posters that represent “iichiko design.”

This area evokes a station platform, inspired by the fact that the posters are displayed at stations. Forty carefully selected posters from the 521 created as of September 2024 are lined up.

Each poster differs in paper quality and printing method, with art director Hideya Kawakita selecting the optimal approach each time.

The staff member giving the explanation has the letter “i” on their back. Looking closely, you can see “i, i, c, h, i, k, o” displayed.

Learn iichiko

Next is “Learn iichiko.” This area features “All About iichiko,” an exhibition that explores “iichiko” through illustrations and trivia, and “iichiko Products (iichiko Bottle Design),” which delves into the details of past bottle designs. This section is also packed with content, covering a total of 40 topics.

In contrast to the station posters, “All About iichiko” catches the eye with pop illustrations.

Experience iichiko

Finally, “Experience iichiko.” The main attraction here is, without a doubt, “tasting.”

True to its name, the “iichiko Special Bar” is a must-see corner where guest bartenders from world-class bars (*) create daily limited-edition cocktails.

On the day I attended, three bartenders were creating three different cocktails. I ordered a cocktail made by Tsunetaka Imai from Angel’s Share, a renowned Japanese-style cocktail bar in New York. Its name: “Sunnyside Lane.”

Tsunetaka Imai, head bartender at Angel’s Share.

Sunnyside Lane. I ordered it because the name reminded me of our company name.

This cocktail is based on “iichiko Saiten,” which was introduced at the reception party. Upon tasting, the savory aroma of mate tea is followed by the umami of guava spreading across the tongue. The flavor of “iichiko Saiten,” which enhances that umami while passing through the nose with a refreshing alcoholic coolness, left a strong impression.

The aftertaste is clean and easy to drink.

We spoke with Shion Suzuki from the Public Relations Division, Bureau 3, who was in charge of PR for this event!

For this event, the excellence of the “iichiko” station posters was already well known, so I focused on identifying the “PR angle” beyond that.

While there was certainly demand for the exhibition among alcohol enthusiasts, I prioritized thinking about “how to spread awareness of this exhibition to others as well.”

To attract the interest of a diverse audience, I believed it was essential to secure coverage not just in niche media but across a wide range of outlets, so I began outreach.

In addition to alcohol and lifestyle media, I also aimed for coverage in business media, actively approaching them with information such as “You can hear about the marketing strategy behind ‘iichiko Saiten.'”

Furthermore, since Aoi Yamada came specifically for this day to perform, I made sure to inform entertainment media as well. I gathered every piece of information, no matter how small, such as the fact that cocktails made by top bartenders could only be enjoyed at this exhibition.

By having a wealth of information, I was able to tailor my pitch to each media outlet, capturing the interest of editors and writers. As a result, we welcomed attendees from a wide range of media beyond alcohol publications, including TV, business, advertising, lifestyle, and culture.

Doi from SR Bureau 2, who handled media outreach, communicated with media representatives armed with extensive information and worked tirelessly for this exhibition. I believe the interest we generated was due to Doi’s daily efforts.

At SUNNY SIDE UP’s SR division, each person handles projects across various genres, so individual experience levels are very high, and we have many talented individuals capable of multifaceted approaches.

Through this exhibition, I was reminded once again that we have many young staff members who rise to the occasion when needed.

From left: Omata, Doi, Suzuki

I hope this exhibition sparks ongoing interest in iichiko, encourages people who have never tried it to give it a taste, and ultimately turns them into “iichiko enthusiasts”!

“iichiko” That Enriches Daily Life

“iichiko,” filled with the depth of its past. And “iichiko Saiten,” carrying the future.

With friends, with family.
Or quietly alone.

The memories you create with “iichiko” from now on will surely become another “unfading scene.”

How about enjoying “iichiko” as your companion this evening?

SUNNY SIDE UP handles PR communications for a wide range of products and services, including alcoholic beverages. What can be achieved through the power of communication? We welcome inquiries starting with such questions.

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