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want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
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Gingko tree festivals?
Does anyone know if the festival has been canceled? If so, what are the other options for appreciating the yellow gingko leaves?
yeah the Meiji Jingu Gaien festival was definitely canceled for 2023, not sure if it's coming back. tbh that spot's still worth walking through even without the festival, the ginkgo lined avenue is open and the trees are usually at peak mid to late november
if you want an alternative, head to Showa Kinen Park in Tachikawa. it's a bit of a trek but the ginkgo avenue there is massive and way less crowded than Gaien. they also have a proper fall foliage event going on with night illuminations. entry is like 450 yen
another option is Jindaiji Temple in Chofu. the ginkgo tree there is ancient and impressive, plus the temple grounds are pretty quiet. you can grab some soba nearby after. takes maybe 40 mins from Shinjuku
honestly if you want a more relaxed vibe than the gaien crowds, the ginkgo trees along the Aoyama Cemetery are pretty underrated. it sounds morbid but it's a beautiful walk, the trees are huge and the yellow leaves against the grey stone is striking. it's just south of Gaien so you can hit both in one afternoon
another spot is the Rikugien Garden, they have a few old ginkgo trees that turn brilliant yellow and the garden does night illuminations during peak season. entry is 300 yen and it's way quieter than the big parks. takes about 25 mins from Ikebukuro on the JR Yamanote line
another spot that barely gets mentioned is the ginkgo trees along the water at the Shibaura side of the canal near Tamachi station. it's not a famous avenue or anything but the trees are old and the reflection on the water hits nice around 3pm when the sun's low. you can walk from Tamachi to Takeshiba pier and grab a coffee at one of the waterfront cafes
if you're up for a short train ride the ginkgo trees at the Todoroki Valley in Setagaya are a nice surprise. the valley trail itself is mostly green but the entrance area has a few massive ginkgos that turn deep yellow. it's a 15 minute walk from Todoroki station on the Oimachi line and the whole valley path is maybe 1km so it's a chill afternoon
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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.