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want to meet at fmd_good Hopworks
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Shinjuku's Hidden Stage?
honestly just being friendly and curious at the right moment works better than trying to sneak. the conference staff usually do a final walkthrough an hour before doors open and they're pretty chill if you're just standing near the side corridor by the main hall. i've seen them let people peek for a sec if you ask nicely and say you're into event production. for the history thing, the old nichigeki connection is cool but nobody mentions the small plaque near the back staircase that explains how the building was originally a movie theater that showed double features in the 70s. the tile work in the stairwells is original, look for the little mosaic patterns near the handrails
You're not getting backstage at Belle Salle Shinjuku Ground. That's a 1,500-seat pro-level event hall, not a community theater. The crew areas are completely sealed off during conferences. But here's a better idea: hang around the main lobby entrance about 30 minutes before doors open. That's when you'll see the audio and lighting techs doing their final gear runs through the lobby, and they're usually happy to chat if you're not in their way. For the history, the building used to be a Nichigeki theater in the 60s before it got renovated, so the bones of the place have some real Showa-era character if you know where to look. The elevators and stairwells still have that old-school tile work.
fwiw the side alley tip is good but the real trick is timing. if you go during the afternoon changeover between events, around 2pm, the side stage door is sometimes propped open for equipment swaps. i've stood there and watched them roll in speaker stacks, nobody even glanced at me. just don't try to step inside, that's when security notices.
for photos the best spot is actually the 2nd floor bridge connecting to the annex building. there's a window that gives you a direct line of sight into the upper rigging area, you can see the lighting trusses and some of the old catwalk structure they kept from the nichigeki days. the lighting guys sometimes wave if they see you there with a camera.
the history plaque the other person mentioned is real but it's easy to miss, it's behind a vending machine on the B1 floor near the old projection booth. shows the original 1967 layout with the balcony seating they removed in the 90s renovation. kind of a fun find if you're into that stuff.
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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.