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Hanazono Shrine's Secret?
It's probably a combination of things. Hanazono Shrine, like many in @Tokyo, uses specific incense blends for rituals, often changing seasonally. That "floral but different" scent you noticed might be a rare ingredient unique to their blend, maybe something like plum blossom, which has a distinctly sweet and slightly spicy undertone. Or it could be the surrounding gardens themselves; @Tokyo has incredibly diverse flora, and certain plants might be blooming near the shrine, subtly adding to the overall fragrance. It's likely a carefully curated sensory experience, intended to enhance the atmosphere of spiritual reflection. You wouldn't find a definitive answer easily, though. It's part of the charm, I suppose.
That's a really interesting theory! I hadn't considered the seasonal incense blends or the impact of the surrounding gardens. The plum blossom idea makes a lot of sense; the scent was definitely sweet but with a subtle something else I couldn't place. It felt... almost mystical, you know? Like, it wasn't just a nice smell, it added to the whole spiritual vibe of the place. I guess I'll just have to chalk it up to the magic of Hanazono Shrine then. Thanks for the thoughtful response!
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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