View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Tiger Beer

Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 778 Location: Hong Kong
|
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:29 pm Post subject: Whats a 'snack' bar? |
|
|
Saw tons of them down by the train station.. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
foreignpresents
Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 6
|
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
A snack or snackbar, 'sunaku', is usually an unassuming, meager-looking, smoke-filled restaurant or bar type place that has a small number of regular patrons. The owner (mama-san if its a female) cooks up food and serves alcohol in the evenings, a kind of last stop before heading home to the family (if you've got one) or somewhere to eat then drink the night away any given day of the week if you're the lone salaryman with no family. It's not uncommon for company CEO's, exalted University professors, high-power businessmen, lawyers etc., to be sitting next to you at these places. People enjoy the humbleness and anonymity.
There was one I went to in Kanagawa where I lived previously. I was welcome there but I think most places discourage tourism as they neither need or want the extra business, they'd prefer to keep seats open for regulars. If you're into the whole snack thing, pick one, frequent it semi-regularly if the reception isn't too cold and people will warm up to you. It's all about being a 'regular' and once you're in it can be a really rich cultural exchange experience. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
southofreality
Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 579 Location: Tokyo
|
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Some snack bars/pubs stick you with a big bill at the end of the night for things like a 'snack charge' or a 'table charge' even though the snacks were meager and the rest of the joint was empty. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
flyer
Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 539 Location: Sapporo Japan
|
Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
yeh, that brings the obvious question;
where did they get the name snack from?
its mostly alcohol focused!! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Lyrajean
Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 109 Location: going to Okinawa
|
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:06 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'm going to start this by saying that I've never been to one... but my understanding is that (at least the ones here on Okinawa I've been told about) part of the appeal is that the establishments try to hire attractive young women to 'serve' the drinks and snacks. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|