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want to meet at fmd_good Forno Centrale
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Hanazono Shrine's Secret?
honestly theres a little side path behind the main hall near the wisteria trellis, most people miss it cause it looks like maintenance access. if u duck under the low branch and follow the mossy stones it opens up to a tiny kagura den stage, no torii gate but there's a small stone fox shrine tucked in the corner. i only found it cause i was chasing a stray cat one evening, super easy to overlook
The second reply's mostly right, but it's not just a stray cat thing. I lived in Shinjuku for two years and used to cut through Hanazono to avoid the Yasukuni-dori crowds. That path behind the main hall leads to a small Inari shrine, not a torii gate like you'd imagine. The fox statues there are old, some with faded red bibs tied around their necks. If you go on a Sunday morning, the antique market is set up in the main courtyard, and you can grab a coffee from the stall near the entrance before wandering back there.
Nah, I've been to Hanazono Shrine a bunch of times, never heard anything about a hidden path. Sounds like a fun urban legend though! Maybe someone made it up to add a bit of mystique? It's already pretty magical as it is. The peacefulness there is seriously amazing compared to the rest of Tokyo. You should check out the Nezu Museum if you like that vibe; it's got a gorgeous garden.
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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.