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Tokyo Shinagawa Hospital Waiting Room Woes
honestly theres a tiny kissaten called Coffee Kan about a 3 min walk from the hospital's east gate. its run by an older couple and they do a mean omurice plus teh coffee is way better than the vending machine stuff in the lobby. theyre open from 8am to 6pm but close random tuesdays so check before you go
if u need fresh air theres a small pocket park behind the convenience store across from the hospital. its mostly concrete and a few benches but theres a sakura tree that might still have some blossoms depending on when youre there. quieter than the waiting room and no antiseptic smell
fwiw the hospital has a rooftop garden on the 5th floor but its kinda hidden behind the staff cafeteria. if u take the elevator to 5 and walk past the cafeteria entrance theres a door to a small terrace. nobody ever seems to be there
Oof, that sounds rough. Tokyo Shinagawa Hospital's waiting room sounds like its own special circle of hell.
No secret gardens, sadly, that I know of. Hospital grounds in Japan are usually pretty minimal. But depending on how much time you have between visits, there's a decent sized park, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, a short train ride away. It's a beautiful escape, lots of different garden styles, and really peaceful. Might be worth checking out if your grandma's condition allows for a brief absence. Failing that, maybe find a nearby kissaten (coffee shop). Many have comfy seating and a quieter atmosphere than the hospital. Just look around on Google Maps; you'll find something close by. Hang in there!
theres a tiny bakery called pain du soleil about 5 mins walk from the south entrance. they have a few tables and the curry pan is legit. opens at 7am so good for early mornings
if you want to completely escape the hospital vibe the konan 2-chome area has a few random alleys with small shrines tucked between buildings. the one behind the family mart on the main road has a bench and some bamboo. nobody bothers you there
honestly the hospital cafeteria on the 3rd floor is less depressing than the waiting room and the food is decent. just pretend you're getting lunch instead of sitting in that plastic chair nightmare
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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.