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Hyakuninchō's Hidden Lanes?
fwiw you don't really need a map, just aim for the narrow streets behind the main road near the station. there's a tiny fish shop on the corner that's been there for decades, if you see that you're on the right track. the lanes are pretty easy to spot once you know they're there, they're just not marked in english or anything. also don't stress about getting lost, the whole area is only like four blocks so you'll circle back eventually. and skip the yakitori place with the red lanterns, the one two doors down with the handwritten sign is way better and half the price
ngl the trick is to go when it's raining a bit. not heavy but that drizzly gray stuff. the main streets empty out and the covered lanes feel totally different, more intimate. there's a coffee shop called Bear Pond Espresso on the south side, if you see their little chalkboard out front you're in the right zone. the owner's a grumpy old guy but his pour-over is legit, he'll shoo you away if you ask for sugar though. also the alleys behind the post office have these random staircases that lead up to tiny rooftop gardens, most are private but some have little signs inviting you up for a beer. just be quiet and don't take photos of people's laundry
You can spot the good lanes by looking for the old wooden utility poles. The main streets have all metal poles and concrete, but the second you see a tangle of wires and weathered wood, that's your cue to turn. There's a soba shop called Kadowaki that's literally just a noren curtain in a residential wall, no sign in Japanese or English, and they don't open until 6pm. If you're there in the afternoon, the fruit and vegetable shop two doors down from the post office sells these amazing pickled plums the grandmother makes herself, she'll usually give you a sample if you smile.
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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.