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Whats a 'snack' bar?

 
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Posts: 778
Location: Hong Kong

PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:29 pm    Post subject: Whats a 'snack' bar? Reply with quote

Saw tons of them down by the train station..
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foreignpresents



Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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southofreality



Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 579
Location: Tokyo

PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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flyer



Joined: 16 May 2003
Posts: 539
Location: Sapporo Japan

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeh, that brings the obvious question;

where did they get the name snack from?

its mostly alcohol focused!!
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Lyrajean



Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 109
Location: going to Okinawa

PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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