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Are japanese people getting angrier and more distant after the covid?
fwiw I think covid just accelerated something that was already happening. pre-pandemic people weren't exactly chatty on the train either but yeah the mask thing made everyone's default face unreadable. I've been here since 2017 and what I notice more is people seem tired not angry. like the energy at 7/11 at 2am used to be kinda fun now it's just people grabbing stuff and leaving. still get smiles at my local bakery in yanaka though.
ngl i think people are just more used to keeping to themselves now. before covid it was common to see groups of friends at izakaya or people chatting on trains but now everyone's got their earphones in and eyes down. that said i wouldn't call it angry, more like socially cautious. you still get the same polite service at konbini and old ladies will help you if you drop your stuff, it's just the general vibe got quieter
honestly I think it's more about the tourists than covid. tokyo got way overcrowded with visitors after the borders opened and locals just got tired of it. you can see it in shibuya where people used to be chill now they just walk past you like you're invisible.
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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