Create meetup in Tokyochevron_right
Select a place on the map to change the location.
I want to meet
Verified required?
want to meet at fmd_good Forno Centrale
want to meet at fmd_good Funland
want to meet at fmd_good Nature Park
explore Tokyo Guides
bar_chart Trends in Tokyo
Motomachi Union Mystery
Motomachi Union's produce section is solid but it's not really where melon hunters go. For the neon green flesh types, pretty much any Ito Yokado or Seiyu in Kanagawa carries them in summer for around 2000 yen, no need to trek to Motomachi specifically. Since you're camping near Fuji anyway, hit a JA roadside stand around Gotemba on the way up, they sell them riper and cheaper than city stores. One thing nobody mentioned, the flesh color varies by variety (Andes is orange inside, Quinsy is green), so if you want that fluorescent green specifically, check the label before buying or you might grab the wrong one.
the melons you're thinking of are probably アンデスメロン or クインシーメロン, not Crown. Crown is the fancy gift one with the T-shaped stem, the neon green flesh ones are different and way cheaper, like 2000 to 4000 yen at most supermarkets in season. Motomachi Union does sometimes have them near the back produce corner but June through August is peak, so you're hitting decent timing. one thing tho, camping near Fuji means you'll pass through Gotemba or Fujiyoshida on the way, and the JA Shizuoka roadside stands there sell them riper and cheaper than any Yokohama store. grab it there instead, eat it same day, dont bother hauling it in a cooler.
Those bright green ones are almost certainly Crown melons from Shizuoka, and ngl Motomachi Union is a bit of a gamble for them. The Motomachi branch is big but it leans fancy grocery, so you'll more reliably find them at a depachika like Takashimaya in Yokohama, or sometimes the basement of Sogo. Expect to pay 5000 to 15000 yen depending on grade, and if you're hauling it to a Fuji campsite just keep it cool, they bruise if u look at them wrong.
load 2 more replies
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.