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Lost in Translation?
The ceremony itself is usually about an hour, maybe a bit more. The kids walk in, do some songs, get their little diplomas. It's sweet but not overly long.
If you're sitting with the parents, be ready for a lot of photos and video recording. Everyone's phone will be up. Also, the kids often wear little suits or fancy dresses, so expect that to be adorable.
For the gift, you could also bring a small envelope of money, like 3,000 or 5,000 yen, in a plain envelope. It's common here for any milestone event, and your friend can use it for whatever. Just don't give used bills, get fresh ones from a convenience store ATM.
honestly the ceremony itself is pretty short, like 30-40 min tops for the main part. the kids sing a couple songs and the teachers say some stuff, but the real show is watching the parents try not to sob. the moms especially will be a mess, it's kinda sweet.
one thing nobody mentioned - bring a small bag for the kid's stuff. they'll get their diploma and maybe a little gift bag from the school, and you don't want them juggling it all. also, if ur friend's kid is in the 乳児 class (toddlers), expect some chaos. little kids wandering off mid-ceremony is normal, nobody cares.
for the gift, honestly the cash thing is fine but i'd prob just ask ur friend what the kid likes instead. a 500 yen toy from the 100 yen shop that matches their current obsession (like anpanman or something) will get a way better reaction than a random book. kids that age are very opinionated about their cartoon characters.
oh yeah the gift thing is tricky. if you do cash, get a fresh bill from the atm and put it in a plain white envelope. used money is a no-go for these things. also, sit back and enjoy the chaos, japanese graduation ceremonies for little kids are basically a photo op with crying parents. you'll fit right in
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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.