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What did this guy want with me?
I've been walking this path a hundred million times it's in Chuo Ku, a very safe area nothing ever happens here. What the hell did he want with me stopping me like that? Like what could he possibly ask? I have Asian features btw so i don't see why i would be a target of anything...
i've had this happen a couple times near shintomi and it's almost always either a scam or a cult recruiter. there's a group that works the area around the chuo ward office that uses that exact opener, they pretend to be lost or ask for directions then try to get you to a cafe for a "free talk." the え? makes sense if they expected you to at least engage long enough for the pitch
eight years in tokyo and this being ur first time is honestly lucky, most women i know have had it happen at least a few times. the alley near the station is a common spot for them since it's quiet but still busy enough to find solo walkers. you did fine
another possibility nobody mentioned - could've been a religious recruiter. there's a few groups around Chuo Ku that use that exact approach, especially near the smaller streets off Showa Dori. they go for the "where are you heading" line to start a conversation before pivoting to their spiel about a "free seminar" or "self-improvement workshop"
the え reaction fits too, they're trained to handle polite rejections but not someone just walking off. either way your response was fine, doesn't matter what his angle was if your gut said no
yeah that's almost certainly a nanpa pickup attempt, happens more than people admit in Chuo Ku even on quiet streets near Hamacho or Suitengu. the "where are you going" line is a classic opener because it sounds innocent but lets them gauge if you're alone and heading somewhere private
the fact he said "oneesan" instead of something more formal is also a tell, that's a street pickup style address. you did fine walking away, the え was just him not expecting someone to actually reject him that fast. most women in Tokyo either freeze or give a polite brush-off, so your reaction caught him off guard
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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.