Create meetup in Tokyochevron_right
Select a place on the map to change the location.
I want to meet
Verified required?
want to meet at fmd_good Brew Lab
want to meet at fmd_good Vintage Avenue
want to meet at fmd_good Local House
explore Tokyo Guides
bar_chart Trends in Tokyo
Ladies of the night, where to find ?
honestly skip the touts entirely, they're all working on commission and you'll pay triple. if you want the actual soapland area, head to the streets near hanazono shrine, not the main drag. the places there are more legit with set prices posted outside, usually 30-60k for an hour depending on what you want
honestly the whole kabukicho thing is a minefield for tourists. the touts are everywhere and they're all working on commission so you'll get upcharged like crazy. if you really want to go that route, your best bet is to find one of the soaplands near the omoide yokocho area but you'll need a Japanese speaker or a lot of cash. the real trick is just going to a proper hostess bar in the humax pavilion building, those are at least somewhat regulated and you won't get straight up robbed. just expect to drop 10k yen minimum for a drink and conversation, anything more than that is on you to negotiate
those African touts are 100% a scam, they'll take your money and vanish or lead you to some overpriced dump. if you're set on finding anything in kabukicho, skip the main strip and head to the smaller alleys off yasukuni-dori, but honestly you're better off going to a place like the pig & whistle on the corner for a beer and seeing what happens naturally. most legit spots don't advertise on the street and you'd need a referral anyway, so the whole scene is kinda a trap for tourists
load 10 more replies
Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.