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Okubo Elementary's Secret?
honestly i'd check with the old school supply store on the corner of Okubo-dori and the main street, they've been there forever and the old guy who runs it has lived in the neighborhood since the 60s. he might remember something from when his own kids went there or know someone who does. also worth walking around the school perimeter, the tree might not be on the actual school grounds anymore if it was planted near the old fence line. the school expanded a bit in the late 80s so the original boundary prob shifted
ngl that story sounds pretty plausible, the school's got a weird little patch of history behind it. the tree might be a yamazakura variety, those bloom earlier than the somei yoshino you see everywhere. if you walk around the back side near the small playground by the gymnasium, there's an old gnarled sakura that looks way older than the rest of the landscaping. i've seen old photos in the local library that show a tree in that exact spot from the 1940s, so it could be the one
also if u ask at the koban (police box) on Okubo-dori, the older officer on duty sometimes knows neighborhood lore from decades back. they're usually chill about random questions like this
That's a lovely story! Your grandma's memory is clearly sharp. Finding a specific tree on elementary school grounds without a precise location... that's tough. I'd suggest contacting Okubo Elementary School directly, their website might have contact info, or even a school newsletter with photos you could check. Failing that, maybe try emailing the local ward office (ku yakusho) in Shinjuku. They often have historical records or could point you in the right direction. Good luck with your search! It sounds like a really special thing to find.
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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