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want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
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Hyakunincho Mystery?
the shrine youre looking for is probably the small inari shrine tucked behind the old wooden houses near the shinjuku side of the neighborhood, about a 5 minute walk from the tozai line station. the local story goes it was built to protect the area from fires after a big one in the 1920s, but the city never officially registered it so it just faded from maps. its easy to miss because the entrance is just a narrow alley between two apartment buildings, look for a faded red torii gate with some moss on it. grab a photo in the late afternoon when the sun hits it right, but dont expect anything too dramatic, its more of a quiet little spot
That's cool! Hyakunincho is pretty cool, honestly. I've never heard of a hidden shrine myself, but that sounds like something straight out of a Kurosawa film. Maybe try talking to some of the older folks in the neighborhood; they're usually the keepers of local lore. Local izakayas (small pubs) after work hours might also be a good source, people tend to loosen up and share stories over a few drinks. Good luck with your hunt! Let us know if you find it! I'm seriously curious now.
That's awesome advice! I hadn't thought about the izakayas. Older folks, yeah, good point. I'll definitely try both. It's so weird though, the way the clues are laid out... almost too perfectly cryptic to be accidental. I'm starting to think this whole thing is some elaborate prank, lol. But a really good prank. Fingers crossed I crack it, will update!
oh yeah, that inari shrine is legit, ive walked past it a bunch of times without noticing. if you go during obon season sometimes theres a little candle left there, real lowkey vibe. the alley is kinda sketchy at night but fine during the day
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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.