greg girard's photo book captures intimate sakura snack bars scattered across japan

A Photographic Journey into Japan’s Quiet Sakura Snacks

Canadian photographer Greg Girard’s latest photo book, Snack Sakura, explores an enduring yet understated aspect of Japanese nightlife, the ‘snacks.’ The project, spanning six years from 2018 to 2024, is both a personal journey and a cultural exploration of these unique drinking bars, scattered across Japan’s cities and towns.

The concept of the snack bar dates back to 1964, a pivotal year for Japan as it prepared to host the Tokyo Olympics. Anticipating an influx of foreign visitors, the government introduced regulations requiring bars and clubs to close at midnight, aiming to manage the nation’s nightlife in a way that aligned with its evolving international image. In response, resourceful bar owners began serving snacks alongside drinks to circumvent the restrictions, giving birth to a new category of establishments known simply as ‘snacks.’ These bars flourished in the following decades but gradually fell out of favor with younger patrons, becoming a refuge for older clientele, especially salarymen seeking camaraderie in a familiar setting. With their unpretentious decor and intimate atmospheres, snacks typically feature a counter with a few stools and perhaps a booth or two. A ‘mama’—often a middle-aged woman, or occasionally a male ‘master’—presides over the space, providing a welcoming presence. The entertainment is simple yet personal, with the regulars engaging in conversation, karaoke, and basic drinks. Unlike bustling bars in trendy urban neighborhoods, snacks offer a slower, quieter rhythm that prioritizes familiarity and connection.

Snack Sakura, Muroran, Hokkaido | all images courtesy of Greg Girard

Greg Girard’s lens captures Japan’s Hidden Drinking Bars

While traveling through Japan, photographer Greg Girard noticed a recurring pattern—every town he visited seemed to have a snack named ‘Sakura,’ the Japanese word for cherry blossom. Intrigued, he began researching this phenomenon and discovered that ‘Sakura’ was indeed the most common name for snacks, a fact confirmed by the All Japan Snack Owners Association. Its ubiquity might be attributed to its simplicity and resonance with Japanese culture, where cherry blossoms symbolize renewal and fleeting beauty.

From that point, Girard aimed to find and document as many Snack Sakuras as possible across Japan’s 47 prefectures, from Okinawa in the south to Hokkaido in the north. His journey was far from straightforward. Many Snack Sakuras had no online presence or contact information, and others had closed, changed names, or been demolished. Nevertheless, over six years, Girard captured the interiors, exteriors, owners, staff, and patrons of these establishments, presenting a vivid portrait of a world hiding in plain sight. The photographs capture not only the physical spaces but also the connections formed within them, emphasizing the human element that defines these establishments. The creative reflects on the cultural significance of snacks and their enduring appeal. Snacks may lack the glamour of modern nightlife, but they possess a charm rooted in community and tradition. By highlighting the ubiquity of the name ‘Sakura’ and the singular experiences found within these spaces, Girard’s Snack Sakura offers a tribute to the unassuming yet vital role snacks play in Japanese nightlife.

Snack Sakura, Kagawa, Shikoku

Snack Sakura, Kawasaki

Bar Sakura, Sasebo, Nagasaki

Snack interior, Yokohama

Snack owner, Mizusawa, Iwate

Snack Sakura regulars, Tokyo

Snack Sakura, Furano, Hokkaido

Snack Sakura, mama and customers, Tokyo

Snack intrerior, Kagawa, Shikoku

Snack Sakura owners and staff: Akita, Okinawa City, Osaka, Furano, Naha, Yokosuka

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project info:

name: Snack Sakura, Published April, 2025
photographer: Greg Girard, Greg Girard – Books & Pictures | @gregforaday

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom