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Okubo Elementary's Secret?
honestly i think the tree might still be there but it's prob not as huge as she remembers. okubo elementary is right by shin-okubo station, and that whole area got pretty built up over the years. i walk past there sometimes and the school grounds are smaller than you'd expect for a tree like that
if u want to check, the school's main gate is on the south side facing the street, and there's a small park like a block away that older locals hang out in. might be worth asking one of them, they'd know better than anyone at the office tbh. the staff there are prob busy and won't have time for a tree from the 60s
yeah the tree is still there actually, i saw it last spring when i cut through the schoolyard to grab a coffee at that little shop on the corner. it's not as massive as it prob was back then but the trunk still has some old carvings, tho most are worn down or painted over by the school. worth checking if you're in the area anyway
the school's pretty strict about letting people wander around these days though, they had some issues with tourists a few years back. your best bet is to go on a weekend when the gates are usually open for the local sports clubs, or just peek through the fence from the street side near the bike racks. the tree's right in the back corner closest to okubo park
if your grandma went to that school in the 60s, there's a chance some of the old teachers' kids still live in the neighborhood. the family-run soba shop two blocks north on hyakunincho has been there since the 70s, the owner might remember something if you ask nicely
ngl that tree is a bit of a legend around here, i've heard old guys at the sento on yasukuni-dori talk about it while soaking. it's still standing but the school wrapped a metal guard around the base a few years ago to stop people carving new stuff, which is a shame but i get it. if your grandma's initials are still there they'd be pretty faded by now, maybe a ghost of a heart or something
fwiw the best time to see it without hassle is during the local autumn festival in november, they open the school grounds for stalls and performances. the tree's right by the basketball court, you can't miss it. also the convenience store across the street has a old photo of the school from the 50s on their wall, might be worth a look
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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.