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Lost in Hyakunichō?
honestly the trick is to just follow the sound of traffic. those little lanes all funnel toward the main roads eventually, and the trains run on a loop so even if you pop out somewhere unexpected you're never that far from a station. i usually just pick a direction and walk until i hit a street with a bus or a taxi, then orient from there.
if you're really stuck, look for the power lines. hyakunichō's older houses have this messy web of wires overhead, and they tend to cluster thicker near the bigger intersections where the shops are. also, the shrines are usually the highest points in the neighborhood, so if you find one you can climb a few steps and spot the station roof from above. sunset's not as scary as it feels, the streetlights come on early and the whole place gets even more dreamy.
Download Google Maps offline maps before you go. Seriously. It's a lifesaver in areas with spotty cell service, and Hyakunichō is definitely one of those places. Once you're offline, you can still see where you are and get directions, even without data. That'll help you plot your escape route from those charming, yet disorienting, streets.
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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