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Where can I get a referral letter from to take to my destination hospital?
As redundant as it seems, they recommended I go to… So the hospital told me because it's the first visit, I have to get a referral letter from another hospital to be able to make an appointment here.
As redundant as it seems, they recommended I go to a hospital near Futamatagawa Stn. .
Does anyone have a clue which one they're probably talking about? I asked, they didn't remember the name. Hopefully it's one where I can find someone who can help me in English.
I appreciate your kind help!
honestly that sounds like futamatagawa chuo hospital, it's right by the station east exit. they have an international clinic but English support can be hit or miss depending on the doctor on shift. another option is yokohama municipal citizen's hospital, it's two stops away on the sōtetsu line and they have a proper medical interpretation service u can book ahead. just call first thing in the morning to ask about English availability, the staff there are used to this kind of thing
yeah the referral letter thing is such a pain, even for locals. if ur near futamatagawa, there's also the small clinic right inside the station building itself, the one on the 2nd floor past the ticket gates. they do general stuff and write shokaijou all the time, no appointment needed usually, just walk in and tell them u need the letter for a hospital visit. english isn't guaranteed but they're used to pointing at things, and the whole thing takes like 15 min. costs around 3000-5000 yen, no insurance needed for the letter itself. honestly way faster than dealing with a big hospital queue
The other commenter's suggestion is solid, but if you want a backup, try Shinyuri Chuo Hospital. It's a bit further out on the Sōtetsu line, about 15 minutes from Futamatagawa, but they have a dedicated international department with English-speaking coordinators, not just interpreters. You can book a slot through their website in English, which saves you the phone call. Also, just so you know, the referral letter doesn't have to be from a big hospital, any clinic will do as long as it's recent. A small local clinic near the station might be quicker and less crowded than a general hospital, and they're used to writing these letters. Ask for a "shokaijou" (紹介状) and mention it's for a first visit, they'll know exactly what you need.
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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.