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Foreigner-friendly boxing/MMA/Muay Thai clubs?
I live in the Shinjuku/Suginami-k… Hey everyone, I am looking for any clubs where my very limited Japanese skills won't be too much of a problem when it comes to getting instructions on technique etc.
I live in the Shinjuku/Suginami-ku area, but I am absolutely okay with commuting to a different area multiple times a week, if needed.
I used to train Muay Thai and Taekwondo as a teenager for about 6 years, but right now I am at a level where I probably cannot not even offer value in sparring due to my fatness.
I really need and want the workout though, so please let me know if any of you know of a good place where I can ease back into training in a cool environment.
I am not looking for gyms that are targeted to foreigners at all, but having an instructor or buddies in the club who speak English would be a great help. Being part of a club will also make it easier for me to work on my Japanese and meet new friends!
Thank you in advance for ANY input and have a great long weekend!
Wanderlust Gym in Yoyogi-Uehara is solid, they got a bunch of english-speaking trainers and a mix of MMA and muay thai. it's a bit of a hike from Shinjuku but worth it, classes are small and they're real patient with out-of-shape folks like us.
Honestly just hit up Nagai Gym in Shinjuku, it's small and kinda oldschool but the vibe is super welcoming to beginners and the coach speaks enough english to get you through drills. They do both muay thai and boxing, and since it's a small class you'll pick up the japanese fast from just watching.
if you're in suginami, check out Axis Gym in Ogikubo. it's a small boxing gym run by this older guy who trained in thailand back in the day, so he gets the muay thai stance and clinch work even if they don't officially offer it. the crowd is mostly locals but he's used to giving instructions in simple japanese plus hand gestures, so you'll figure it out fast. also it's literally right by the station so no excuse to skip training.
another option is Impact Gym in Asagaya, which is more of a general fitness place but they have a legit boxing ring and a few guys who do mma on the side. the owner speaks decent english and they're super open to people just wanting to sweat without being competitive. plus asagaya has good ramen spots for after training.
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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.