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
Shinjuku Banking Woes?
fwiw the banks in Shinjuku around the east exit are always packed, try the ones near the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building on the west side, way quieter and the staff speak decent english. for ID your passport is fine, they just need to see your name matches the application form, don't even bother with the license. the bullet train thing is a breeze once you're at Tokyo Station, just get a reserved seat on the Nozomi, it's like 2 hours and 20 mins to Kyoto, totally worth the extra few hundred yen over the slower trains
ngl the passport thing is overthought, I've done transfers at the Shinjuku Post Office bank branch near the south exit and they barely looked at mine, just handed it back after a quick glance. the real headache is the application form, they make you fill out your address in Japanese characters so bring a note with your hotel's name in kanji or have it ready on your phone. bullet train tickets are way smoother if you just use the Smart EX app, the QR code scans at the gate and you skip the ticket machine chaos entirely.
tbh your passport is all you really need, just make sure it's valid and not expired. the damage on your license wont matter at all, they barely glanced at mine when i did a transfer at the SMBC near Yotsuya station last month. for the bullet train stress, honestly the Shinkansen is the least of your worries, you can book online via Smart EX app in english and just scan the QR code at the gate, no paper tickets needed. biggest hassle in Shinjuku is finding the right exit underground, that station maze is way worse than any bank line.
load 5 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.