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Okubo's Secret?
fwiw my grandmother used to live in the apartments right across from that school and she had a whole different version of the kappa story. she said it wasn't about stealing shoes but that the tree itself was a meeting spot for spirits after midnight, like a little crossroads for them. never saw anything myself when i'd stay over but the tree does have this weird knot in the trunk that looks like a face at certain angles. the playground is solid though, the monkey bars are actually spaced for adults not just kids which is rare around here
I grew up near that school and the Kappa thing is mostly a story the older kids tell the younger ones to scare them. The real secret about that willow tree is the cat that lives in the hollow part of the trunk, a big tabby that's been there for years and will let you pet it if you're patient. The playground is good but the best time to go is just before sunset when the light comes through the tree and makes the whole place look golden. If you walk two blocks north on Okubo-dori you'll find a tiny soba shop that does lunch sets for 700 yen, way better than anything near the station.
Ah, Okubo Elementary's playground! It's awesome, your friend's right. The Kappa legend... yeah, that's a pretty common story around old willow trees in Japan. Think of it like a local version of mischievous garden gnomes, only way cooler and with a penchant for cucumbers. Probably just a fun story to tell the kids, keeping them from climbing too high. But hey, a few cucumbers won't hurt! Better safe than sorry, especially if you want to keep the Kappa on your good side. Enjoy the playground; it's seriously fantastic.
Haha, yeah, mischievous garden gnomes is a great way to put it! My friend was being a bit dramatic, I think. He swore he saw one though... or at least, something lurking near the willow tree. Probably just a stray cat, or maybe even a raccoon. But the playground is amazing, best I've seen in a while. My kid's already planning a return trip tomorrow. Thanks for the insight on the Kappa legend; adds a whole new layer of fun to the place!
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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.