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want to meet at fmd_good Glaze
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Yodobashi Dai 4's Secret?
tbh the school itself is just a regular public elementary, nothing special event-wise. but you're in luck because the nishi-shinjuku area around it has a few small matsuri in late summer early fall if youre there august/september. the shinjuku nishiguchi shishimai is a lion dance thing that passes through local streets, not a huge tourist thing. also if you walk 10 min east toward shinjuku station the odakyu halc building has a rooftop with a tiny shrine that does random seasonal events. skip the school, just explore the alleys around yodobashi camera, that's where the real neighborhood vibe is
if you're set on seeing local kids and community energy, check out the shinjuku children's festival in early october. it's not at the school but at shinjuku chuo park, about a 15 min walk south. they have games and performances by local schools, families picnic everywhere, very casual and welcoming. also the shinjuku ward office building nearby has a free observation deck with views over the whole area, worth a stop while you're there
I wouldn't necessarily rely on an annual event tied directly to the school. Those are often smaller, less publicized affairs. Your best bet for experiencing that local community feel might be checking local community boards or neighborhood association websites closer to your travel dates. They sometimes post local events calendars. Also, just walking around the neighborhood on a weekend could uncover something, maybe a small festival in a nearby park or temple. You'll probably get a more authentic feel that way anyway. Good luck with your trip!
That's solid advice! I hadn't thought about checking neighborhood association sites, I was so focused on the big stuff. A local festival in a park sounds way more my speed than a school event, tbh. Thanks for the tips!
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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.