Create meetup in Tokyochevron_right
Select a place on the map to change the location.
I want to meet
Verified required?
want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
explore Tokyo Guides
bar_chart Trends in Tokyo
What's your online dating strategy in Tokyo?
Things I notice:
Tokyo is so big, so it's daunting to try and pick a meetup spot or come up with a p… I've had 0 success with online dating in Tokyo. I used to live in Fukuoka and it was much easier.
Things I notice:
Tokyo is so big, so it's daunting to try and pick a meetup spot or come up with a plan.
When I was in Fukuoka there was one main meeting place and picking something to do around the area was easy.
Everyone matches and loses interest in 2 messages.
in fukuoka I need to mostly type in Japanese. But I noticed most profiles I match with in Tokyo speak English.
Is there an online dating ritual for people in Tokyo that I don't understand? How do people pick a place to meet when Tokyo is so huge?
Any tips or advice is welcome.
The language thing is actually your clue. Most English-speaking profiles in Tokyo are either short-term expats or people who want to practice English, so they're flaky by nature. Switch your search to Japanese-language profiles even if your Japanese isn't perfect. Use simple sentences and let Google Translate handle the rest. The serious daters are there.
For meetup spots, pick a station that's central for both of you but has a clear landmark exit. Shinjuku's west exit by the Yodobashi Camera is a solid bet. Everyone knows where it is and you can grab coffee at the Starbucks inside if they're late. Don't suggest a plan that requires walking more than 5 minutes from the station, that's the real Tokyo dating mistake.
imo the real issue is meeting spots. tokyo's too big to just say "shibuya" and hope for the best. pick a specific building or shop. i always use the starbucks reserve in nakameguro because it's right off the east exit and has a chill vibe upstairs. if they bail i can still grab a drink and watch the river
for messaging, try sending a voice note instead of typing. cuts thru the noise way faster and feels more personal. i've had convos die in text then suddenly take off after a 10 second voice clip. works especially well if your japanese is shaky cause they can hear your effort
honestly the trick is to stop treating it like Fukuoka. tokyo's not one city it's like 50 mini cities stacked on top of each other. pick a neighborhood you actually know well and suggest meeting there first. if they flake you're not stuck traveling 40 minutes for nothing.
for the chatting part, ask something specific about their profile within the first 3 messages. like if they have a photo from kamakura ask which temple that was. generic "how was your weekend" gets ignored here because everyone gets 50 of those a day.
also consider switching to a japanese app like pairs or tapple. the english apps here are full of tourists and people who are just "testing" things. on japanese apps people actually follow through because they're paying for it
load 2 more replies
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.