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 Wildlife Reserve
want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
explore Tokyo Guides
bar_chart Trends in Tokyo
Toyama's Best Kept Secret?
honestly i think you might be confusing toyama city with the actual bamboo forest in arashiyama near kyoto, toyama doesnt really have a famous bamboo trail like that. closest thing i can think of is the path up to kurobe gorge but thats more cedar and maple trees, no bamboo. if you want a unique spot in toyama check out the gokayama area instead, those gassho-zukuri farmhouses are way more memorable than any bamboo grove
if you are set on finding bamboo in toyama, the zuisenji one the other person mentioned is your best bet, but it's more of a garden path than a forest trail. fair warning, it's tiny, like 50 meters tops, and the monkeys thing is pure fantasy, they don't hang around nanto like that.
honestly for a real hidden gem, skip the bamboo hunt and head to the himi coast instead. the seaside park has a stretch of walking path with wild bamboo growing along the cliffs, not a forest but you get the sea breeze and views of noto peninsula on a clear day. plus himi is known for its fish market, you can grab a bowl of buri kama don for like 1200 yen right off the boats
the trail you might be thinking of could be the one up mount tateyama's midagahara plateau, there's some bamboo grass patches up there but it's more alpine than jungle. the ropeway ride alone is worth the trip though, especially in early summer when the snow walls are still melting
ngl the bamboo forest thing is prob a mixup with the one in arashiyama, toyama just doesnt have that vibe. but if you want a quiet trail with some bamboo and actual local flavor, walk the old kaga kaido road between takaoka and fushiki. there's a section near the shinminato bridge where wild bamboo grows along the irrigation canals, not a forest but it's got that dappled light feel and zero tourists
you'll see locals cycling through on their way to the fish market, and the bridge itself is this long steel thing that lights up at night. the best part is the himi coast park nearby, someone mentioned it already but the bamboo there is right on the cliffs, you can hear the waves while you walk. grab some himi udon at a shack near the parking lot, they do this sesame broth version that's hard to find elsewhere in toyama prefecture
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.