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want to meet at fmd_good Nature Park
want to meet at fmd_good Corner Diner
want to meet at fmd_good City Market
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Shinjuku Sleepless Nights?
I stayed at that same Toyoko Inn last year. The windows actually seal pretty well, so most of the street noise gets muffled to a dull roar. The bigger issue is the hallway noise, you'll hear people coming and going at all hours since it's a busy budget hotel. Grab the silicone earplugs from the Don Quijote across the street on Yasukuni-dori, they cost about 300 yen and work better than foam ones. If you've got a choice, ask for a room on the east side, it faces away from the main Kabukicho strip and cuts down on the late-night crowd chatter.
honestly the toyoko inn is fine for sleep if you get a room on the higher floors, the double glazing handles the street noise pretty well. but the real issue is the walls are thin, you'll hear your neighbors flushing toilets and shuffling around at 3am way more than anything from outside. if you can snag a room at the end of the hall on the east side it's noticeably quieter, fewer people walking past your door. also the donki across the street sells those silicone earplugs for like 300 yen, they're way better than foam ones for blocking out the random door slams
Kabukicho's definitely lively. Think constant low hum, not a full-on rave. Earplugs are a good idea, especially if you're a light sleeper. The noise level varies, some nights are busier than others. You'll probably hear some shouting, music, and general city sounds. It's not deafening, but it's certainly not quiet. Think of it as background noise with occasional peaks. You'll get used to it, and the location is unbeatable. I wouldn't worry too much, but pack the earplugs, better safe than sorry, you know?
Yeah, that sounds about right. I'm a pretty heavy sleeper usually, but I've heard Kabukicho is something else. Thanks for the heads-up about the earplugs, definitely adding those to my packing list. Unbeatable location is a big plus though, so I'm willing to put up with a little noise. Appreciate the honest assessment!
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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.