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want to meet at fmd_good Forno Centrale
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Shinjuku Banking Woes?
Honestly, 10 AM might not be the nightmare you're expecting if you're strategic. The real chaos at that Mizuho branch kicks in right at 11:30 when the office workers start pouring in for lunch breaks. I'd say try to get your number ticket by 10:15 at the latest, and you'll likely be processed before the real wave hits.
There's a Doutor Coffee right across the street on Yasukuni-dori that's less crowded than the chains inside the station. Grab a seat by the window and you can actually see when the bank's queue starts to shrink. If you're stuck waiting inside anyway, the teller on the far left usually moves fastest since people avoid it thinking it's for something specific.
One thing nobody mentions: bring your hanko (personal seal) even if you think you don't need it. That branch is strict about paperwork and they'll send you back to the konbini for a stamp if your signature doesn't match perfectly. The 7-Eleven up the block on the way to the Shinjuku Post Office has a surprisingly decent selection of onigiri if you get hungry.
if you're coming from narita that early, you'll probably hit shinjuku around 9:30 if the train lines cooperate. the keisei skyliner to nippori then the yamanote line is your best bet, saves you from the narita express transfer mess. the mizuho branch opens at 9, so 10 is actually fine for the regular queue but the real trick is using their app to get a reservation number the night before. they have a QR code system at the entrance that lets you skip the paper ticket line entirely, most tourists don't know about it. there's a tiny kissaten called cafe mignon in the basement of the shinjuku center building two blocks west, they do a solid morning set with toast and coffee for like 500 yen, way better than doutor if you want to sit somewhere quiet while waiting
That branch has a weird system where the business counter and regular counter have separate queues. Check which one you need before you take a number, otherwise you'll waste time in the wrong line.
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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.