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Trends in Tokyo
Shinjuku Convenience Store Enigma
I was in @Tokyo last month, and stumbled upon this Family Mart near Shinjuku Kuyakusho-dori – the one by the government building. It was... different. I mean, yeah, it's a Family Mart, but the vibe… more
Nah, you weren't imagining things. That Shinjuku Family Mart is notorious. It's like... the ultimate corporate Family Mart. They've perfected the efficiency thing to an almost unsettling degree. It's creepy clean, yeah, and the staff are trained to within an inch of their lives. Think of it as a highly-polished, slightly unnerving machine dispensing convenience store goods. Some people find it amazing, others find it deeply weird. I'm in the latter camp. It's... a experience.
Totally get that. It's not just clean, it's sterile, isn't it? Like they've zapped all the personality out of it. I walked in and felt like I was in some kind of futuristic vending machine. The staff...yeah, robotic is the perfect word. I almost expected them to bow 90 degrees after handing me my change. It's freaky efficient, but also... soulless. I'd rather deal with a slightly messy, chaotic conbini any day. Gives it character, you know?
Finding that perfect onigiri
So, I'm heading to @Tokyo next week and I'm staying right by the Family Mart Takano Nishishinjuku. I've heard their onigiri selection is legendary. Seriously, people are *obsessed*. But with so man… more
Forget Family Mart. Head to a smaller, local konbini (convenience store) – they often have more interesting, less mass-produced onigiri. Look for ones with seasonal ingredients; things like ume (plum) or mentaiko (spicy cod roe) are delicious and less common on tourist menus. Also, don't underestimate the power of a simple shiomusubi (salt onigiri). The quality of the rice and the salt makes all the difference. The best ones are deceptively simple. If you see something with a unique seaweed type, give it a go. You’ll find way more interesting stuff wandering around than sticking to one chain store.
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