If some establishments have self-explanatory names, oppai pubs for instance, snacks are a lot more mysterious. I always wondered what was really going on in there, but I never expected I would end up spending an evening in one. But what about snacks? Unlike the name suggests, snacks, short for snack bars, have nothing to do with edamame or dried squid. Usually found in your nearest seedy neighborhood, a snack is basically the toned down version of a hostess club.
They are smaller and easier on the wallet. Snacks are mostly frequented by chain-smoking salarymen in crumpled suits, looking for a bit of female company. Unlike strip clubs, there is no nudity involved and no sex β at least officially. A few years ago, my friend Raymond, who was new to Japan, told me about this really fun place his friend was working at, a bar called Antoinette.
We agreed to go the next evening. The place looked like a small cigar bar. There was a long mahogany counter where a dozen clients could sit comfortably and a leather couch.
The only thing that seemed out of place was a young woman behind the counter. She was dressed in a long emerald gown that would have been more appropriate at a fancy cocktail party. The plunging neckline was also something I had never expected to see a Japanese woman wear. It was then that it finally hit me. Antoinette was not just any bar. It was a snack! And my friend was completely oblivious to the situation! We were introduced to Miki, the girl in the fancy dress. She was a university student and was working at Antoinette part-time.
Her job was to pour drinks, light cigarettes and make conversation. She was not as confident as the head hostess, a mature woman in her late forties. Their looks may be fading, but they know how to run the business and keep their clients happy.
