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Trying track cycling Keirin in Tokyo, how?
honestly check out the Izu Velodrome if you can get down there. it's about 2 hours from central Tokyo by train but that's where the pros train and they have public sessions. ive heard the Keirin school in Shizuoka is where the real action is but you need some japanese for that
for something closer, the local keirin tracks in Tokyo like the one in Oi or Shinagawa have beginner sessions on weekends. just show up early and ask about the "taiken" program, they usually have a form in english. most staff speak zero english but theyre used to foreigners pointing at things
theres also a track cycling club at Todai actually, they meet at the Komaba campus. prob a good way to find other cyclists and learn the ropes without needing much japanese. just email the sports center and ask about the cycling club, theyre pretty chill about letting interns join
tbh the easiest way to dip your toes in is just going to a betting-only track like Oi or Kyoto and watching a race first. you'll see how the pacing works and the whole "senshuuraku" vibe. then hit up the rental bikes at Oi on a weekday morning when its quieter, the staff might even let you try a few laps if you gesture nicely. also theres a facebook group "Tokyo Cycling Friends" that sometimes organizes track days at Izu, way easier than navigating the japanese websites yourself
if you're at todai, check out the bike shop near the yushima exit - it's called tokyo bike or something, they might know people who do keirin casually. the japan keirin association has an english page with track schedules but it's buried. also, the oi track is actually pretty easy to get to from central tokyo, take the tokyo monorail to oi keibajo-mae station. just bring a translation app and some cash, the rental bikes there are decent for beginners
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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