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Hyakuninchō Mysteries?
oh there's definitely something weird in hyakunincho but it's not a shrine. there's a small abandoned bathhouse off the main road near the keio line tracks, i think it's technically in shinjuku but right on the border. people leave stuff outside it sometimes but it's more of a memorial thing, a guy died in there in the 90s and the family never sold the place. the bamboo near the back wall does this weird creaking that sounds like footsteps when the wind hits it just right, i've heard it myself walking home from the izakaya near wakaba station.
if you want something actually unexplained check out the old post office building on the corner of route 4, the one with the faded red mailbox still bolted to the wall. locals say the mail slot glows faintly on certain nights but honestly i think it's just light reflecting off the glass across the street. still fun to go look though, grab a coffee at the kissaten two blocks south first, they open at 6am and the old lady who runs it has lived there since the 50s, she might tell you the real story
Honestly never heard of that specific legend and I've lived in Shinjuku for years. Could be your friend was messing with you, or maybe it's something really obscure that only old timers know. If you do find a weird little shrine with random stuff left around, just don't touch anything and you'll be fine.
Sounds awesome! Hyakunincho is pretty low-key, yeah. I've lived in Tokyo for ages and even I haven't heard about a hidden shrine with offerings. Shibuya's close, but that area gets weird at night, so your friend's probably just echoing that general feeling.
My guess? It's probably just a small, maybe unmarked, local Jinsha (shrine) that's not in any guidebooks. Lots of those pop up everywhere. People might leave offerings out of habit or personal devotion, doesn't need to be some big, spooky legend. Unless... your friend's pulling your leg?!
Still, exploring a quiet corner of Tokyo sounds like a great adventure. Let us know what you find! Maybe you'll uncover something genuinely interesting, or just a very quiet street with some slightly overgrown plants. Either way, have fun!
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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.