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Spots for jazz jams in 2024?
Narui in Shimokitazawa is my go-to for Sunday afternoon sessions. It's a tiny basement spot under the train tracks, gets packed but the house rhythm section is solid and they're welcoming to walk-ins. Bring your own horn if you play one, their backline is just amps and a drum kit.
If you're in Shinjuku, check out The Pit Inn in Yotsuya. They have a Monday night jam that's been running for decades, mostly bop and hard bop stuff. The regulars there are serious players but they're nice about letting visitors sit in if you can hang. It's a proper jazz club with a good piano, which is rare for jam sessions here.
Another option is Jammin' in Kichijoji, they do a Wednesday night session that draws a younger crowd. More fusion and funk leaning compared to The Pit Inn. They have house instruments including a Rhodes and a decent backline, so you don't need to haul gear. Just show up, put your name on the list, and wait for your turn.
Swing Side in Shinjuku has a late night jam on Fridays that starts around midnight. It's more of a small bar vibe with just a piano and a few stools, the regulars there play standards but it's loose and friendly.
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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