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Shinjuku Convenience Store Enigma
ngl that Family Mart is basically a free therapy room for the kabukicho crowd. the guy was probably just recovering from a host club bill or a pachinko loss, the onigiri shelf is a safe place to stare into the void. if you want to see the real show, go to the 7-Eleven on Yasukuni-dori at 3am, that's where the real characters hang out
fwiw that Family Mart is prob the most stared-at onigiri shelf in all of Shinjuku. I think it's partly the lighting, it's that harsh fluorescent that makes you feel like you're in a police lineup. I've done the same thing after a long day, just blankly looking at rice triangles while my brain reboots. if u wanna see something truly unhinged, check out the Lawsons on Kabukicho-dori around 2am, the drunk tourists trying to figure out the ticket machine for the bathhouse is way more entertaining
honestly, that specific Family Mart has a weird energy after midnight. i live a block away and ive seen salarymen do the same thing, just zoning out at the snack shelf. my theory is theyre not even deciding, just decompressing from work, the onigiri is an excuse to stand still for a minute. if you want a less existential convenience store experience, go to the 7-Eleven on Yasukuni-dori instead, way less people standing around philosophizing
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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.