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want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
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Lost in Translation?
The haiku worker is a real character, but she's not there every day. I've run into her twice in the last year and she does actually speak in haiku, though it's more like short phrases than full poems. She's harmless and surprisingly helpful once you get past the confusion.
If you're really worried about timing, hit the Shinjuku Gyoenmae post office instead. It's a ten minute walk south and the international desk staff speak solid English. They're used to tourists sending documents and will walk you through the customs form step by step.
I've dealt with that post office a few times and the haiku worker is real but she's not there every shift. She works the general counter on weekday mornings mostly.
For important documents I'd actually recommend the Tokyo Central Post Office near Tokyo Station instead. It's a fifteen minute train ride but they have a dedicated international counter on the second floor and the staff there process mail from foreigners all day. The Nishishinjuku one gets busy around lunch and the line can stretch outside if salarymen are paying bills.
Whoa, that's a story! The haiku-spouting postal worker is... definitely a legend whispered among Tokyo expats. I've never actually encountered her myself, but I've heard enough second-hand accounts to believe it's at least partially true. Probably embellished a bit for comedic effect, like how every city has THAT one weirdly specific urban legend.
My advice? Just go early, be super polite (Japanese politeness goes a long way!), and maybe have a small, thoughtful gift ready (nothing too expensive, maybe some nice sweets). If you're lucky, you'll get the legendary haiku experience. If not...well, at least you'll get your documents sent. And you'll have a great story to tell. Either way, it's @Tokyo, so expect the unexpected.
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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.