Create meetup in Tokyochevron_right
Select a place on the map to change the location.
I want to meet
Verified required?
want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
explore Tokyo Guides
bar_chart Trends in Tokyo
Lost in Translation?
If you're in a Mitsubishi UFJ or Mizuho branch, they usually have a tablet with a translation app they'll pass back and forth. Just slide your documents across the counter and point at what you need done, they're used to that dance. The real headache is if they ask for a hanko registration certificate, which no one warns you about. Save yourself time by going to the information desk first and saying "gaikokujin no torihiki desu" to get routed to the right counter immediately.
fwiw, the bigger city branches like the one in Shinjuku or Ginza usually have a dedicated foreign customer service window, sometimes even a bilingual staffer. if you're going to a neighborhood branch, dont be surprised if they call over a manager who took english in school 20 years ago, they'll still try their best. one thing nobody tells you is to bring your hanko (personal stamp) if you have one, a lot of older processes still rely on it even if they say they accept signature. just keep nodding and saying "hai" at the right moments, they'll appreciate the effort more than perfect grammar
yeah if you're doing paperwork at a bank they'll prob pull out one of those little translation tablets or a phrase sheet, happens all the time. just bring copies of everything, they always ask for something random like your japanese address stamp or a backup id
load 2 more replies
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.