Tokyo’s nightlife is full of options but this one in Shimbashi is endangered. Other neighborhoods like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa also have similar issues with their Showa era restaurants and bars. A “Sunakku” or Snack Bar is a Showa-era eating & drinking spot, often small and full of regular customers socializing over drinks and food prepared by a mama-san, the owner who’s often very gifted at conversation and life advice. They started in the 1950s and peaked in the 1990s.
Snack Bar Alleys / Yokocho are quickly being replaced with new high rises in the cities with improved earthquake protections. Shimbashi’s West has a planned redevelopment around 2030 so we will see some big changes happen. This may be a last chance to go on a snack tour, a part of Japanese culture that has been around since the 1950s. But it’s not just redevelopment that’s an issue. The aging customer base isn’t being replaces with a younger crowd and owners themselves are often in their 70s or older. Snack Bars スナック were a “third place” for Japanese to go after 1) work and 2) home. It’s where many found their spouses! Many found friends and connections. With the digital world upon us, the younger generation isn’t visiting places like this anymore meaning they’ll naturally close as their customers pass on in age. But there’s time to enjoy them, especially for tourists visiting Japan – we tried a guided tour which opened the door to nightlife that is typically closed to foreigners.
🍻Take the Shimbashi Snack Bar Tour ٩(^‿^)۶
▶︎ https://experiences.travel.rakuten.com/experiences/25836?scid=af_txp_onlyinjapantv
