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What is the hookah/shisha culture like?
honestly most shisha bars in tokyo are pretty lowkey social spaces, not really a meet-cute vibe. think more like a cafe where everyone's just chilling with their own group, maybe playing cards or on their phones while smoke machines do their thing
the ones in shinjuku or shibuya tend to be louder and more crowded around friday/saturday nights, but even then people mostly keep to themselves. if you and ur friend just wanna relax and talk for a couple hours without being bothered, it's perfect for that
one thing tho - a lot of places charge a cover or force you to order a drink on top of the shisha, so expect to drop like 2000-3000 yen per person just for the setup. and some spots have a time limit, usually 60-90 mins, which is annoying if you're tryna settle in
if you're looking to actually meet new people, you'd have better luck at a bar in golden gai or a standing bar in shimbashi. shisha spots are more about the vibe than the social scene
one thing nobody mentioned yet is that some places in tokyo have live music or dj sets on weekends, which changes the energy a bit. there's this spot in nakameguro called shisha lounge something that has a small dance floor and people do chat more between sets. still not a pickup scene but less insular than the standard cafe style
also if you're with a friend who's new to it, ask the staff for recommendations on flavors. most places let you sample before you commit to a full bowl, and the good ones will steer you away from the overly sweet stuff that tastes like cough syrup
yea it's more of a sit-down-with-friends kinda thing, not really a mingling spot. some places in koenji or shimo-kitazawa have a more laid-back almost living room vibe but still everyone's in their own bubble. if you want a fun twist look for a place that does flavored tea too, that can be a nice change
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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.