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want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
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Is it normal to get stared at?
It's not about looking odd or unattractive, it's just that you stand out. Tokyo has a pretty unspoken code of blending in, so even small things like wearing sneakers that are too bright or speaking at a normal American volume on the train will get eyes on you. If you're on the Yamanote Line or in Shibuya, everyone's used to tourists, but people still look because they're curious, not hostile. Try taking the Toei Shinjuku line out to Nakano Broadway on a weekday afternoon, it's calmer and you'll see way fewer stares there.
You're probably picking up on the fact that people are noticing you're not from here, but it's not about being unattractive or odd. In Tokyo, the default is to keep your eyes down or straight ahead, so when someone is actually looking around and making eye contact, it registers as different. If you want to see what it feels like to blend in more, try a neighborhood like Shimokitazawa on a weekend afternoon, where the mix of people is more varied and everyone's too busy digging through vintage shops to pay attention to anyone else.
honestly it's probably just because you're a mixed-race family speaking english in public. tokyo's still pretty homogeneous and people notice what's different, not in a rude way just curiosity. happens to my half-japanese cousin too when she visits from LA. if you want less stares try hopping on the chuo line out to kichijoji or somewhere further from central tokyo, it's way more laid back out there
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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