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want to meet at fmd_good City Market
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Naitomachi's Hidden Lanes?
honestly you dont need maps for naitomachi, the whole point is just turning down any street that looks too narrow for a car. my favorite spot is a tiny kissaten near the end of the main strip, no sign in english, just a red noren curtain. they do a killer pour-over with beans they roast themselves, 500 yen for a cup. also there's a secondhand bookstore two blocks east that specializes in old photography zines, the owner's an older guy who'll chat ur ear off if u show interest. just wander between the main road and the back alleys behind the combini, that's where all the good stuff hides
Yeah, Naitomachi's got some serious character. Forget the maps, honestly. Just wander. That's half the fun. Get lost! You'll find stuff that way, trust me. I've spent ages exploring those little side streets, it's like a whole different world tucked away. One thing I did find helpful was looking at really old photos of the area on Google Street View, sometimes you can spot hints of interesting places that aren't on current maps. It's a bit of a detective game, but worth it. Enjoy your trip! You'll probably find way more cool stuff than you expect. And post those pics, I'm curious!
oh man the red noren kissaten is legit, but if you go a little further past that there's this tiny okonomiyaki place run by an old couple who've been there since the 80s, no menu just point at what looks good on the counter. also check out the shrine tucked between two apartment buildings near the east end, it's barely marked but has this super peaceful mossy garden and a really old stone fox statue
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.
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