Tourists Get Taste Of Old Japan At Hidden 'Snack Bars'

Japan's snack bars are cosy, retro establishments often crammed into small buildings and equipped with karaoke systems that echo late into the night (Credit: AFP)

Down a Tokyo street lined with bright signs, up narrow stairs and behind a windowless door is a "snack bar" long cherished by regulars but hidden from tourists -- until now.

Snack bars are cosy, retro establishments found across Japan, often crammed into small buildings and equipped with karaoke systems that echo late into the night.