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 Brew Lab
want to meet at fmd_good Vintage Avenue
want to meet at fmd_good Local House
explore Tokyo Guides
bar_chart Trends in Tokyo
What makes your neighborhood unique compared to the rest of Tokyo?
I'm curious to hear about other neighborhoods around the city. What's your neighborhood like? What makes it unique?
yeah daikanyama is a solid choice, that whole area between nakameguro and shibuya has a totally different rhythm. i'm in yanaka up north and it's like stepping into a time capsule. you've got these old wooden houses and temples everywhere, plus the yanaka ginza shopping street where old ladies run tiny shops selling senbei and pickles. it's dead quiet at night compared to the rest of tokyo, and you can still see cats just lounging on the temple steps like they own the place
shinjuku gyoen is the real hidden gem tbh, most tourists hit meiji jingu or yoyogi and skip right over it. it's got this mix of japanese garden, french formal garden, and english landscape garden all in one massive park, and it's barely crowded even on weekends. the greenhouse alone is worth the entry fee, and you can sit there for hours watching turtles sunbathe on the logs. plus the neighborhood around sendagaya station has some absurdly good curry places that nobody talks about
sangenjaya might be what you're looking for if daikanyama feels too polished. it's got this gritty charm with the three shotengai that all feel different from each other, one's got a million yakitori spots and another has all the old school coffee shops. the car-free street by the station on weekends is a nice touch too. easy walk to shimokitazawa if you want more action but the vibe here is way more local and less curated
load 8 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.