“JR SKISKI – Watashi wo Ski ni Tsuretette”, Japanese Railway / Winter Travel Advertising Poster, Original Offset 2017, Rare, B1 Size (c. 73 × 103 cm) AA48
This is an original Japanese B1 advertising poster issued by JR East in 2017 for the JR SKISKI winter campaign. It is the companion / alternate design to the Tomoyo Harada-centred version, produced for the same JR SKISKI × Watashi wo Ski ni Tsuretette 30th Anniversary Campaign. Released to commemorate 30 years since the founding of JR East (1987–2017) and 30 years since the release of the beloved 1987 ski film Watashi wo Ski ni Tsuretette (Take Me Out to the Snowland), the poster promotes winter travel by Shinkansen to ski destinations while deliberately evoking the look and mood of a classic late-1980s Japanese movie poster. In this version, the visual focus shifts to Hiroshi Mikami, making it an especially desirable companion piece for collectors seeking the pair.
JR SKISKI – Watashi wo Ski ni Tsuretette (2017)
The composition is built around a large illustrated portrait of Hiroshi Mikami, shown in iconic ski attire with goggles pushed up on his forehead and a high, dramatic coat collar, capturing the cool, cinematic charisma associated with the original film. Around him unfolds a lively winter collage: skiers on the slopes, mountain lodges, gondolas, children sledding, snowmen, snow monkeys relaxing in an open-air onsen, and a sleek Shinkansen train cutting through the snow. The poster’s deliberately painted, nostalgic treatment gives it the feel of a retro 1980s film one-sheet, despite being a modern corporate campaign image.
Across the lower middle appears the main campaign line 「私を新幹線でスキーに連れてって」 — “Take Me Skiing on the Shinkansen” — a playful reworking of the title of the original film. Running vertically at upper left is the additional line 「スキー場で食うカレーは、なぜかうまい。」, meaning “For some reason, curry eaten at a ski resort is always delicious.” This affectionate, humorous detail taps directly into Japanese ski-trip nostalgia and reinforces the campaign’s emphasis on the broader pleasures of winter leisure, not simply the sport itself.
The train depicted is rendered in the style of the E7 / W7 Series Shinkansen, linking the campaign to JR East’s contemporary rail network and its promotion of easy access to snowy resort regions. At lower right is the commemorative “JR EAST × WATASUKI 30th Anniversary” badge, while the upper-right corner carries the JR East logo together with the “Ticket to Tomorrow” slogan. As with the companion poster, the result is a highly effective blend of railway promotion, film nostalgia and polished commercial illustration.
The campaign visual was created within the framework of JR East’s advertising and marketing operations, rather than as a fine-art poster in the traditional sense. It is associated with jeki (JR East Marketing & Communications, Inc.), with art direction credited to Norihiro Takeyama and creative direction to Hiroki Yamaguchi, and was executed in a style intended to recreate the atmosphere of a dramatic 1980s ski-movie poster. That unusual nostalgic approach gives the work a strong collectable appeal beyond ordinary transport advertising.
Rarity and condition
Original B1 JR SKISKI posters were printed for promotional display and were not intended to survive in pristine condition, so many examples encountered today show wear from use, storage or handling. Clean original copies are increasingly sought after by collectors of Japanese railway advertising, ski ephemera, nostalgic popular culture and contemporary Japanese graphic design. As the companion design to the Tomoyo Harada version, this poster is particularly appealing when acquired either on its own or as part of the pair.
This particular poster is in excellent+ condition. The colours remain fresh and strong, the paper is clean, and the poster displays extremely well overall. The front presents beautifully, with only very minor signs of age or handling, if any. The reverse is also clean, showing only faint, minor handling evidence consistent with careful storage. There are no major tears, heavy creases, pinholes or writing visible, and overall it is a very well-preserved example. Please refer closely to the photographs, as they show the exact poster for sale.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
