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Any issues with offering a bottle of cold water or tea to delivery driver when I get a package from them?
I am a foreigner who speaks very little Japanese but am generally home when the var… I've googled and did find this thread but wanted to make sure to get some opinions specifically from Tokyo ideally.
I am a foreigner who speaks very little Japanese but am generally home when the various package delivery people come to my apartment. They normally look HOT, and they normally look like they are in a hurry. With those two things in mind:
given my limited ability to communicate I don't want to add stress to their day
given they are in a hurry and keeping in mind #1 I don't want to give them something they don't want to have to deal with
I would like to offer them a bottle of cold tea or water if it would be something not totally out of place. I imagine they could simply refuse with "大丈夫です"
I know that a chunk of the delivery people that come to my apartment are pushing a cart from what I imagine is a hyper-local distribution hub somewhere close to me, but the point is they often don't have a car they can go back to to drink their tea or whatever. In the US I would not worry as much about this because I could read the situation better and I would expect no harm in at least offering water / tea, at least they would appreciate the gesture. I imagine the same might be true here but I'm also pretty ignorant sometimes... so here we are!
Thanks for your thoughts / recs!
p.s. as I mentioned I live in an apartment complex so I can't really leave a bottle of water out for them or whatever, I'd have to give it to them face to face.
Most delivery drivers I've seen around my neighborhood in Shimokitazawa are on a tight schedule, so it's not uncommon for them to have just a few minutes to spare before they need to head to their next delivery, which could be on the other side of town, near Gotanda Station. Considering this, a small gesture like offering a cold drink might be more appreciated if it's something they can easily consume on the go, like a bottle of water or a small can of tea from a vending machine, which can be found for around 100 yen at most convenience stores. That way, they can quickly take a sip and be on their way without feeling obligated to stay and chat, which can be a relief for both parties, especially given the language barrier.
In Tokyo, offering a bottle of cold water or tea to a delivery driver is generally considered a kind gesture, it's something you might see at a konbini or a small restaurant. I've seen it done at my family's small business on Shinjuku's Yasukuni Street, where the delivery guys from Yamato or Sagawa often stop by. They usually appreciate the offer, and if they don't want it, they'll simply say "sumimasen" and be on their way, you won't be adding stress to their day. On a hot summer day like we often have in July or August, a cold drink can be a nice pick-me-up, especially when they're just making a quick delivery from a local hub, like the ones near Shibuya Station.
deliveries from companies like Yamato or Sagawa usually happen during a specific time frame, they often have a set route and schedule to follow, which can be pretty tight, especially during peak hours around 10 am or 2 pm. considering this, offering a cold drink might be more practical if it's something that can be easily consumed while they're signing the delivery slip or handing over the package, so a small bottle of water or a can of tea from a vending machine would be a good choice, they're usually around 100 yen at a konbini like FamilyMart or 7-Eleven, and can be found near many apartment complexes, like mine in Koenji, which has a few convenience stores along Nakai Street
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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.