Lawson’s new TV commercial “Founding Festival Part 2 Hapitoku Festival,” starring Matsuyama Kenichi, Oorin, and Yamazaki Hiroya (Untouchable), will begin airing nationwide on Sunday, June 23. In addition, ahead of the TV commercial broadcast, a behind-the-scenes video including interviews with the cast members will be released on Lawson’s official YouTube channel today, Friday, June 21.
TV Commercial “Founding Festival Part 2: Happy Toku Festival”
Making of & Interview
In the TV commercial, Matsuyama Kenichi and O-rin, wearing twisted headbands and red and white happi coats, and Untouchable’s Yamazaki, wearing a flashy samba outfit, appear in front of a deformed Lawson store, stomping along merrily to rhythmic music that exudes a festival atmosphere. When Matsuyama tries to explain the Happy Toku Festival by saying, “Buy a 350 yen rice ball,” Yamazaki poses with high excitement, saying, “You can get some tea!” The story then goes on to say, “Thanks!” as he performs a high-speed samba dance. Keep an eye out for Yamazaki leaning out of the giant tea and performing a high-speed samba dance.
In an interview after the shoot, Yamazaki, who appeared in a samba costume, was asked where she would like to go wearing the costume. She replied, “I’d like to crash someone’s wedding. I feel like I could add a touch of elegance to many different weddings by saying things like, ‘Congratulations!!’. I’d like to go around to many different weddings in one day and celebrate everyone.”
In honor of the Hapitoku Festival, when asked about a happy event that had recently benefited them, Oorin said, “It was my birthday the other day, so I bought myself a pair of nice sunglasses. On my birthday trip overseas, I went into the ocean wearing them, and they got swept away by a wave. I was feeling down, but on my way back, I was walking along the beach, and the waves had carried my sunglasses back to me! I felt like I’d gotten a great deal. They gave me all sorts of emotions, and they have now become even more important to me.” Yamazaki said, “A while ago I splurged on a bag, but about a month later, all the coffee in the plastic bottle inside the bag had spilled out and I was in despair. The bottom of the bag had turned black, and I was feeling down, when a staff member from a program asked me, ‘Is there anything you want me to wash?’ and I said, ‘What? I have! I have!’ It became so shiny. It’s weird to say this, but if I did this in real life it would have cost a lot of money, so I feel like I got a good deal and I’m really grateful.” They each shared a “Hapitoku” episode about a recent trouble they had. When asked about an exciting event that happened recently, Matsuyama revealed, “In my 39 years of life, it was the first time I went to Shin-Okubo.” He continued, “I was just wandering around when I came across Shin-Okubo and was surprised, like, ‘What is this place?’ I felt like I was traveling abroad and I was super excited. I’ve heard all the recommended restaurants, so I think I might go next time.” He shared an exciting episode from his first visit to Shin-Okubo.
■ TV Commercial Overview
Title: “Founding Festival Part 2: Happy Toku Festival”
Cast: Kenichi Matsuyama, Orin, Hiroya Yamazaki (Untouchable)
Broadcast start date: Sunday, June 23, 2024
URL:https://youtu.be/f_AS_CjQawc
■ Commercial Story
In front of a deformed Lawson store, Matsuyama Kenichi and O-rin, clad in twisted headbands and red and white happi coats, and Yamazaki in a flashy samba outfit appeared, stomping along merrily to the rhythmic music that was full of festival vibes. When Matsuyama tried to explain the Happy Toku Festival by saying, “Buy a 350 yen rice ball,” Yamazaki excitedly struck a pose and said, “You’ll get some tea!” Then, to top it off, they performed a high-speed samba dance, shouting, “Thanks!!” To finish off, they once again stomped their feet powerfully to emphasize the Happy Toku Festival.
■Making of & Interviews
To coincide with the start of the TV commercial broadcast, a behind-the-scenes video including interviews with the three actors has been released on Lawson’s official YouTube channel. It is packed with the charms of the three actors that could not be captured in the main video, such as the filming process and behind-the-scenes stories.
URL:https://youtu.be/L9tZ-VPKz98
Q: Now that filming the commercial is finished, please tell us what the highlights of the commercial are and what scene left the biggest impression on you.
Once again, “Hapitoku! Hapitoku! Hapitoku Festival!” is a really memorable sound and hearing it makes me feel happy, so I was happy to be able to dance along to the song again this time.
It was a very fulfilling experience. It was like we were all united, or rather, we were one team, facing the same direction. It felt like there were times when we were all actually facing the same direction.
Q: That lovely samba costume suits you very well. Tell us where you’d like to go or what you’d like to do wearing it.
Since I received such a flashy and happy item, I would like to crash someone’s wedding. I feel like this would be accepted even without permission. If I said “Congratulations!!”, I feel like I could add flowers to various weddings. I want to go around to various weddings in one day and celebrate everyone. There is no such happy outfit. My arms are abnormally hot. I recommend it to people who want to make their arms thinner. If there is anyone who wants to make their arms a little thinner, please let me suggest this outfit.
Q: In honor of the Happy Toku Festival, please tell us about a happy event that has happened to you recently.
Recently, it was my birthday, and I bought myself some nice sunglasses, so when I went to the beach on my birthday trip overseas and put them on, a wave swept them away. I was feeling down, wondering why I had to go through something like this on my birthday, but on my way back, I was walking along the beach and thought I hit something hard, and then my sunglasses were back! They came back with the jellyfish on the wave, and I felt like I’d gotten a great deal. They gave me so many different emotions, and they became more important to me than just amazing.
A while ago, I splurged on a new bag, but about a month later, all the coffee in the plastic bottle in the bag had spilled out. I was in despair. The bottom of the bag had turned pitch black, and I was feeling down because the stains were too strong to be just a design, when a staff member from a TV show asked me, “Is there anything you want me to wash?” and I said, “What? Yes! Yes!” It became so clean. This is a strange story, but if I did it in real life, it would cost a lot of money, so I’m really grateful that I got a good deal. It’s so scary when you spill something and find an empty plastic bottle of coffee in your bag that you haven’t even drunk yet. Your notebook and everything will be soaked, so please be careful. Please make sure to close the plastic bottle.
Q: The commercial enthusiastically expresses the benefits of the Happy Toku Festival, but what happened recently that got you excited?
I went to Shin-Okubo for the first time in my 39 years of life, and I was excited. I was walking around aimlessly, and when I reached Shin-Okubo, I was surprised and said, “What is this place?” I felt like I was traveling abroad, and since I hadn’t been abroad for a long time, I was really excited. However, I ended up just passing by and was in a hurry, so I couldn’t go into any of the shops. I told a lot of people about it, and we all said that Shin-Okubo was fun, and I’ve heard all about the recommended restaurants, so I’m thinking about going there next time.
One day, when I went to play golf, there was a festival atmosphere, and if you submitted your score, you could win something nice in a lottery. I won, and was presented with the latest golf clubs. I went home feeling like I was really lucky.
Q: In the commercial, the benefits of the campaign are described as the Happy Festival. What are some of your most memorable festival memories?
For me, festivals are about food, and I love festival yakisoba. Of course, I love yakisoba itself, but it’s hard to beat the yakisoba at festivals. I don’t know what seasonings, or what they put in, but at festivals, the yakisoba is what the guys are sweating and frying on the hot plate, so when I think of festivals, I immediately think of yakisoba. It’s insanely delicious. It has slightly crispy noodles, lots of pickled ginger, and sometimes people fill it right up to the lid, so when I think of yakisoba, I think of festivals. The taste of the yakisoba I had as a child is what comes to mind when I think of festivals. I love it.
■Profile
・Kenichi Matsuyama
Born on March 5, 1985, in Aomori Prefecture.
In 2001, she won the grand prize at the “New Style Audition” and began working as a model.
He made his acting debut in 2002.
He made his breakthrough in 2006 with “Death Note”. After that, he starred in “Norwegian Wood” in 2010.
2012 Taiga drama “Taira no Kiyomori” 2016 “Saint’s Youth” 2021 “BLUE”
In 2022, she starred in “Kawapperi Mukoritta” and other films. She has received numerous awards, including the Japan Academy Prize and the Blue Ribbon Award.
He will appear in the 2023 January Taiga drama “What Will Ieyasu Do?” and the TBS drama series “I Should Have Said It a Million Times.”
In 2024, he will appear in the NHK Saturday drama “Goodbye Hospital.”
He is currently appearing in the NHK morning drama series “Tiger with Wings.”
The movie in which he stars, “Saint Young Men”, is scheduled to be released on December 20, 2024.
・Orin
Born in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture in 1998.
She entered the Hirosaki Actors School in the third grade of elementary school and has performed in the Alps Maidens since 2007.
In 2013, she joined the sister group Ringo Musume as a 7th generation member and will serve as its leader until March 2022. She loves her hometown, Aomori Prefecture, and is passionate about her entertainment activities in order to promote the primary industry and revitalize the region.
・Yamazaki Hiroya (The Untouchables)
Born on January 14, 1976 in Kasukabe City, Saitama Prefecture.
In 1994, he enrolled in Production Hitotsubashi’s JCA school, a training school for comedians.
He formed the comedy duo “Untouchable” with his classmate, Eiji Shibata.
In 2004, they won the M-1 Grand Prix 2004.
He is active at the forefront as a comedian and currently appears on numerous regular TV programs.
A popular comedian who is loved by viewers at home and known by the nickname “Zakiyama.”
![[Seiko Omori]“Resurrection ♡ Seiko Omori Countdown Live 2024-2025” will be held!](https://tokytunes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Seiko-OmoriResurrection-♡-Seiko-Omori-Countdown-Live-2024-2025-will-be-768x931.jpg)
![[Art program “MEET YOUR ART”]Art journalist Eriki Fujiwara talks about “religious art” which is essential for learning Western art, and four recommended books.](https://tokytunes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Art-program-MEET-YOUR-ARTArt-journalist-Eriki-Fujiwara-talks-about-768x432.jpg)
