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Queer spaces that are not bars?
yeah the bar thing gets old fast, ngl. if u're okay with a bit of a ride, the queer flea market at Koenji's "Mori no Tane" happens like every other month, it's all vintage clothes and zines and people just hang out on the floor chatting, no music blasting. also there's a quiet salon night at "Cafe La Boheme" in Jimbocho, first tuesday of the month, they push the tables aside and it's basically a knitting circle with a mix of ages, super gentle. for something closer to chiba, the "Nijiiro" cafe in Kichijoji is solid but i think the real gem is the rooftop garden at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, it's free and at sunset there's a small queer poetry reading group that meets there informally, just look for the cluster of people with notebooks, they're friendly and it's dead quiet up there
You might have better luck looking for hobby-based meetups rather than explicitly queer spaces. Groups like the Tokyo Queer Book Club or the LGBT+ hiking group "Out in Japan" meet at parks or cafes, so the focus is on the activity, not drinking. The Queer Yoga Tokyo sessions in Yoyogi are also dead quiet, usually around 2,000 yen a class, and people just roll up their mats and chat softly after.
Another option is the community radio station Shibuya Crossing, they host occasional listening parties and zine swaps that are low-key, but you have to check their Instagram because they're irregular. For something more regular, the cafe "Nijiiro" in Kichijoji has a corner with queer magazines and a no-laptop rule on Sundays, so it stays calm and people actually talk to each other.
honestly, check out the community libraries and event spaces around Shimokitazawa or Koenji. there's a place called "B&B" in Shimokita that does queer book clubs and zine making sessions, super chill, no alcohol pressure. also, the Tokyo LGBT Community Center in Minami-Aoyama runs daytime meetups and cafe hours, it's quiet and you can just sit and read. if you're near Chiba, the prefecture has a "josei no tame no" space in Chiba City that hosts monthly queer support circles, but it's more women-focused, so depends on your vibe. honestly, most queer events in Tokyo are bar-centric, but the daytime stuff at community centers is where it's at for calm vibes.
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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