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Shinjuku Convenience Store Mystery
I've noticed the same thing at that exact Family Mart, actually. The Tuesday 7 PM vanishing act is because the employee is likely heading to the Lawson across the street to buy their dinner. I once saw the guy walk out the back, cut through the alley by the tax office, and come back with a Lawson bag five minutes later. The store manager probably doesn't care as long as the shelves are stocked, but it's funny to watch the routine.
You are not losing your mind, but it is probably not a ninja thing. That Family Mart is right across from the tax office, and the Tuesday 7 PM slot is when the back office manager from the main branch usually does their weekly stock check. I have seen them duck into the back storage room for a good twenty minutes to deal with the delivery paperwork. Next time you are in, listen for the beeping of a handheld scanner coming from behind the curtain, that is your proof.
That Family Mart is a well-known pit stop for the tax office workers winding down. You're probably seeing the employee swap for the late shift. Most convenience stores in Tokyo run a strict handover, but the timing can be tight if the next person is running late from the station. If they vanish right at 7 PM on the dot, it's likely they're clocking out and the replacement is just slow to get their apron on. I'd check if a new face appears about five minutes later.
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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.