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Hyakuninchō Mystery?
You're right that the blogs are all about spring. For autumn, head to the small Hikawa Shrine tucked away near the station. It's not on any major tourist list, but the ginkgo tree there turns a brilliant yellow in November, and the whole grounds get quiet in the late afternoon light. There's also a tiny soba shop called Sobaya Hirai a few blocks west that does a seasonal mushroom tempura set around 1,500 yen, and the owner's been there for decades. Eat there around 5pm when the streetlights start coming on and you'll get that quiet suburban twilight feeling without any crowds.
Autumn in Hyakuninchō is lovely, quieter than spring for sure. Forget the blogs; they're all about the same three cherry blossom spots. To get the vibe, wander the residential streets. Look for small family-run shops, maybe a wagashi shop selling seasonal sweets, or a tiny bookstore tucked away. The atmosphere comes from the details, not a single "best" spot. Take your time; get lost a little. Find a local ramen place, not the flashy tourist ones, and just soak it all in. That's the best way to experience it. The beauty's in the everyday life, the subtle changes in the leaves.
Maybe check out the community library, it's a quiet place locals actually use.
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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