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Hyakunichō Haunting?
the shinjuku city archives near yotsuya have microfilm of old household registries from the 1870s onward, but you need to book a reader in advance. if ur grandma's family was there before the war, check the shinjuku ward website for their "shinjuku no bunkazai" list, it catalogs every registered historical structure and shrine down to the hokora (tiny roadside shrines). also try the tokyo metropolitan archives in hibiya for the "zuroku koen" maps from the early showa era, they show every building footprint. honestly the most promising spot might be the hyakunicho shrine itself, the kannushi (priest) there is an old guy who grew up in the neighborhood and keeps a binder of old photos in the office. just ask politely and bring a small omiyage.
honestly, hyakunicho is one of those neighborhoods that feels like it's holding its breath. the quiet is real, especially if you wander off the main streets toward the old temple rows near the yamate slope. i'd check with the shinjuku historical museum, they have a solid archive of old cadastral maps and neighborhood records from the meiji era onward. also, the local library in shinjuku might have copies of "shinjuku no rekishi" which is a quarterly publication that sometimes digs into specific chome histories. if your grandma's family had a store or a trade, the shoko kaigisho (chamber of commerce) might have old directories from the 1920s-30s. finding a crumbling stone wall in hyakunicho is more likely than you'd think, a lot of those old retaining walls by the shrines are still original stonework from the 1800s.
That's awesome! Tracing your family history in @Tokyo is a fantastic project. Hyakunicho sounds fascinating, all those old stories... chills! Have you tried contacting the local ward office (区役所 - ku yakusho)? They often have archives and might be able to point you to relevant historical societies or even family registries (depending on how far back you're going, of course). Also, digging around online with Japanese keywords might unearth some hidden gems, maybe try combining Hyakunicho with terms like "古地図" (ko-chizu, old maps) or "神社" (jinja, shrine). Good luck with your search! It's a pretty cool endeavor.
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.
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