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want to meet at fmd_good Wildlife Reserve
want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
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Shinjuku Gyoen's Secret?
Oh yeah, that little bridge is part of the old inner garden from the Edo period, back when it was a feudal lord's estate. The pond was designed so you'd see the reflection of the moon in it at a certain spot, supposed to be calming for meditation or something.
That's a fantastic find! Shinjuku Gyoen is huge, easy to get lost in, and full of surprises. I don't know the specific history of that particular pond and bridge, it's likely older than many parts of the garden, given the overall design's blend of styles. You could try looking at the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden website; they often have detailed info on the different sections. Failing that, a good old-fashioned Google search with some precise keywords (like "Shinjuku Gyoen pond history" or "wooden bridge Shinjuku Gyoen") might turn up some scholarly articles or blog posts from garden enthusiasts. Sometimes those less-traveled paths lead to the best discoveries!
honestly i think that pond's not actually that old, maybe early 1900s when they redid the garden in french style. the wooden bridge is newer too, replaced like 20 years ago after a typhoon. still a nice spot tho, way quieter than the main lawn
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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.