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Looking for a public place to host our Philosophy Meet-up, any suggestions?
In Spain, we set up in a park and that's fine. In bars / coffee shops is okay provided there's enough space. We've rented out rooftops of condo buildings which have worked before and people reallyy like, but nothing fancy is required. Any coffee shop that could host 20 or so people at a time would be good. Any suggestions?
tbh for a philosophy meetup in shibuya, have u checked out the Miyashita Park rooftop? it's that newish complex right above the station, the rooftop garden area is free and has benches scattered around. not super crowded on weekdays and there's a cafe up there too if ppl want drinks. the noise from the street is there but it's kinda ambient, might work for discussion
another option is the basement floor of the Shibuya Publishing & Booksellers building near the Tokyu Plaza. they have a small event space that's usually empty during the day, and the staff are fine with groups if u ask ahead. it's a bookstore so the vibe is already intellectual, fits a philosophy club pretty well. just grab a coffee from the cafe next door
for something more offbeat, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck in shinjuku is free and has those long benches by the windows. it's open till 10pm so u could do an evening meetup with the view. the crowd noise is minimal and there's a cafe there too. just avoid the sunset rush when tourists pile in
If you're looking for a casual coffee shop vibe with space for 20, try Fuglen in Tomigaya. It's a short walk from Yoyogi-Hachiman station on the Chiyoda line, so not quite Shibuya center but close enough. They've got a solid back room that can handle a group that size, and the outdoor terrace is nice if the weather cooperates. The coffee is good and it's usually quieter than the Shibuya Starbucks scene.
For a park option, Shinjuku Gyoen has plenty of open lawn areas and it's more relaxed than Yoyogi Park on weekends. You'll need to pay the 500 yen entry fee, but that keeps the crowds down and you can usually find a decent spot near the greenhouse or the French garden. Just be mindful of the 4:30 closing time in winter.
honestly for 20 people in shinjuku, try the rooftop at the Shinjuku Bunka Center near the east exit. it's not super well known but there's a free open terrace on the 4th floor with benches and some shade, pretty quiet for a weekday afternoon. way less chaotic than the parks and you don't have to buy anything
for a coffee shop option, check out Bear Pond Espresso in Shimokitazawa. it's a short hop from shinjuku on the Odakyu line, they have a narrow second floor that fits a group if you go early on a weekday. the owner is chill about groups as long as you're ordering drinks. just avoid weekends when it's packed with students
if you want the park route but different from the usual spots, try the Koishikawa Korakuen garden near Suidobashi. it's 300 yen entry, has a big open lawn by the pond, and closes at 5. way less foot traffic than Yoyogi and you can spread out on the grass without feeling crowded
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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