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want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
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Why does everybody seem so rich?
The luxury car thing is a bit of an optical illusion. A lot of those S classes and G Wagons are actually dealer demo cars or company vehicles that get rotated every few years, and the tax system makes leasing them cheaper than buying a new domestic car outright. There's also the shibaura effect, where you see clusters of them around financial districts like Marunouchi or Roppongi because that's where the corporate execs and medical professionals park. If you walk 10 minutes into a residential side street in Suginami you'll see plenty of normal Priuses and kei cars parked in front of regular houses.
it's a bit of a mirage honestly. a lot of those cars are company-owned, leased through the business for tax purposes. the owner of a small construction firm or a clinic might drive a mercedes but live in a modest 3LDK apartment. plus japan's used car market is wild, you can pick up a 5 year old s-class for what a new corolla costs back home. and don't forget the shacho culture, where the boss's car is basically a company expense and a status symbol for clients, not personal wealth.
yeah the car thing is real but it's a bit of a shell game tbh. a lot of those g-classes and s-klasses are company cars leased through their business for tax write-offs. the owner of a small dental clinic or a real estate agency in shitamachi can claim it as a business expense plus depreciation is crazy generous here. there's also the shacho culture where the boss's car is basically a uniform for clients to see, not a reflection of personal wealth.
also japan's used car market is insane, you can grab a 5 year old s-class for what a new honda fit costs. and don't forget the 'shinjin' types who buy older luxury cars cheap just for the flex. so yeah some are legit rich but most are just playing the system
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.
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