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want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
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What to do in Shibuya for NYE?
Also on another note obviously I'm used to being able to legally drink in Australia but I won't be 20 in Japan. How strict are they with id checks and drinking age requirements. Eg. Could I go to a club?
Thanks in advance!!
dogenzaka's your best bet for the food part, it's got all those tiny second floor places that are open all night and mostly empty til like 2am. there's a curry spot called mokichi that does this insane cheese naan set for like 900 yen, perfect for soaking up whatever you end up drinking. your whole group can sit in a booth and the owner's this old guy who just lets you hang for hours
for the countdown itself, skip meiji jingu tbh, it's beautiful but you'll be standing in a line for an hour before midnight. instead walk up to the shoto shrine in the residential area behind shibuya, it's a 10 min walk from the station and way smaller but they do a proper ceremony and you can actually see the bell. the locals there are always happy to let foreigners join in
on drinking, vending machines near the love hotels on maruyamacho are completely unmonitored and sell strong zero for 200 yen. clubs are a gamble but the izakayas on the side streets off center-gai usually just look the other way if you're with older people. just don't order a round of shots for the table and you'll be fine
A good middle ground for NYE is hanging around Miyashita Park. They've got that new rooftop area with food stalls and seating, plus it's close enough to feel the energy without being crushed. The park itself has benches and space to spread out, which is clutch when you've got a mixed age group that needs different things at different times.
For food that actually works for everyone, skip the main drag and hit the basement floor of Tokyu Food Show. They've got this insane selection of premade stuff like giant onigiri, karaage boxes, and even mini hot pot sets. Grab a bunch and picnic in the park while you wait for midnight. Way better than queuing at a restaurant where half your group is hangry.
On the drinking thing, the real risk isnt buying it's being loud about it. You can get chu-hi from any 7-11 no problem, just be smart about where you drink it. The cops do patrol the main crossing area on NYE but theyre looking for fights and crowds, not quiet groups with cans in the park. If you want to go somewhere, try the tiny standing bars on the side streets near Ebisu station instead of Shibuya ones, they're calmer and the owners are less concerned with checking IDs
You could try Hachiko Square right before midnight just for the spectacle of it, the energy there is wild even if you don't stay long. After that, walk over to Tower Records which stays open late and has a cafe where you can hang out and warm up without spending much. They usually have something going on too.
For drinking, konbinis and vending machines are your friend, just don't be loud about it on the street. Clubs are hit or miss with checking ID, some will turn you away fast if you look young, others don't care as long as you act
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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.