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 Wildlife Reserve
want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
explore Tokyo Guides
bar_chart Trends in Tokyo
Where can I play pickup basketball?
you could check out the court at Meiji Jingu Gaien, it's tucked behind the baseball stadium near Gaienmae station. not a huge scene but i've seen pickup games on saturday afternoons, mostly college kids and a few older dudes who can actually shoot. the court's kind of hidden so you gotta walk around the back side of the stadium, past the driving range. also theres a hoop at the park near Shimbashi station, tiny half court but you can get 3v3 going if the weathers nice
yeah check the community courts inside Inokashira Park out by Kichijoji. not the main path ones near the zoo but the court closer to the south exit, past the skatepark. saturday mornings around 9 you'll find a mixed group of locals and students from the nearby universities, usually enough for 4v4 or 5v5. the court's shaded by trees which helps in summer. after the game you can grab coffee at Bear Pond Espresso like a 3 min walk away
theres a decent pickup scene at the outdoor court in Sumida Park, right by the river near Asakusa. it's a full court with decent hoops and you'll get games most sunday mornings around 10, mostly japanese guys who play seriously but will let u jump in. the view of the Skytree from the court is pretty nice too. just bring your own ball cause nobody shares
load 7 more replies
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.