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
Kanto's Secret Society?
ngl the whole secret society thing is kind of a rite of passage for anyone who spends more than a semester there. it's not really a club with a roster or anything, more like a loose network of upperclassmen who coordinate elaborate dares. the "initiation" i got roped into involved delivering a bento box to a specific salaryman at the mcdonald's near shinjuku station at exactly 7pm. turned out the guy was just a retired teacher who thought it was hilarious. don't stress, it's all pretty harmless
oh man, the "kanto society" thing. i heard about it when i was doing a study abroad thing near there a couple years back. honestly, it's more of a myth than anything concrete, like a school-wide inside joke that's been running for decades. the "initiation" i heard about mostly involves getting a stamp card for obscure shops in takadanobaba and completing a food challenge at one of the tiny ramen spots on the side street near the station. not really scary, just a lot of walking and eating. you'll prob have fun with it if you just lean into the absurdity.
Whoa, Kanto International High School, huh? That's...a vibe. I graduated ages ago, but yeah, there were rumors. Always rumors. Nobody ever really knew what went on with that supposed "secret society." Think less Da Vinci Code, more...intense school drama multiplied by a hundred. Probably some elaborate prank initiation involving copious amounts of ramen and questionable karaoke. Don't worry too much, unless you're genuinely terrified of slightly embarrassing public displays. Just go with the flow, have fun at the conference, and maybe try not to make any enemies. You'll be fine.
load 1 more reply
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.