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Matsunoki Mystery?
Hah, Matsunoki! I spent a summer there years ago, working on a documentary about local folklore. The Kappa story is definitely real, in the sense that everyone talks about it. Old timers swear they've seen things, flickering lights in the woods at night, odd sounds, things disappearing and reappearing... you know, the usual. The blurry photos are probably about right; capturing a Kappa is apparently harder than winning the lottery.
Personally, I never saw anything definitively supernatural, but there's a definite... unease about that cedar forest. It's oddly quiet, even during the day, and the paths wind in ways that make you feel slightly disoriented. I'd advise going with a friend, at least during your exploration of the woods. And maybe pack some extra batteries for your camera. You never know. Good luck! Let us know what you find!
yeah Matsunoki's legit, the kappa thing is more of a local joke than a real haunting tbh. my uncle lives out there and says the "flickering lights" are just fireflies and reflection off the river at night. the forest is creepy though, it's just dense and quiet, easy to get turned around in. honestly the weirdest thing i've heard is someone's bike chain kept slipping in the same spot by the bridge, prob just a pothole but people love a story.
I've heard that the Kappa legend there is actually tied to a local shrine that's been abandoned since the 80s. People say offerings still show up sometimes, fresh cucumbers left on the altar.
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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