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is city pop really a thing in Tokyo/Japan?
Yeah, it's real, but it's a nostalgic wave more than a current scene. If you want the full vibe without the tourist crowds, hit up the basement of Disk Union in Shimokitazawa, they've got a whole corner of original pressings and reissues that's way less picked over than the Shibuya flagship.
For a night out, there's a tiny bar in Koenji called Mono that plays a lot of 70s and 80s Japanese pop, not strictly city pop but close enough, and the owner's a walking encyclopedia if you ask him about the genre. Concerts are rare, but check out the monthly "Tokyo Record Style" event at Daikanyama's T-Site, they sometimes get DJs spinning city pop 12-inches and there's a great cafe upstairs for people-watching.
One tip, don't bother with the big chain stores for the deep cuts, the real gold is in the secondhand shops in Kichijoji and the weekend flea markets at Oi Racecourse, where you can haggle a bit if you're polite. Prices have gone up since the international boom, but a beat-up original of a lesser-known album can still be a steal.
City pop is very much a thing, but it's more of a retro revival than a living scene. You'll find it in specific corners: Tower Records in Shibuya has a whole dedicated section for reissues and new compilations, and Disk Union's used shops have deep crates if you dig. For bars, check out Bar Martha in Shinjuku, a tiny, moody spot that spins 80s Japanese records, mostly city pop, on vinyl every night. Concerts are trickier; there's no dedicated city pop venue, but keep an eye on Liquidroom in Ebisu or WWW in Shibuya for tribute nights or acts like Tatsuya Ishii or Mariya Takeuchi's rare live appearances. The real fun is in the record fairs at Daikanyama or the monthly flea markets at Oi Racecourse, where you'll find original pressings for a few thousand yen if you're patient.
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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