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Hi, really need to find out if nakamise shopping street at sensi ji temple and takeshita Street at harajuku open for biz on 1 jan 2024? Many thanks
honestly most of nakamise dori will be open on new year's day, sensoji gets absolutely packed for hatsumode so the stalls know they'll make bank. the main shops directly on the street should be open from like 10am but some of the smaller side ones might not open until later or take the day off entirely
takeshita street is a different story though, a lot of those stores are independent and many close for new years. you'll prob find some crepe stands and bigger chain places open but don't count on everything being there. if you're set on harajuku maybe check omotesando instead, more of the bigger stores stay open on jan 1st
also heads up the trains run on a holiday schedule so check the times, last trains come earlier than usual
nakamise will be open on new year's day, it's one of their busiest days actually. sensoji gets insane crowds for hatsumode so the whole street is packed by mid-morning. takeshita street is a bit more complicated, most of the big shops like daiso and wego will be open but some smaller boutiques might close for the holiday. i'd aim to get to both before 10am if you want to avoid the worst of the crowds, especially around sensoji where the queue for the main hall can stretch way down the street.
tbh both spots are a mixed bag on jan 1st but for different reasons. nakamise tends to have more stalls open because sensoji is swamped with people doing hatsumode, the temple grounds themselves will be open all day but some of the smaller souvenir shops might not bother. takeshita street is really a gamble, i've seen years where half the street is shuttered and other years where it's business as usual by noon
if you're flexible with timing, late afternoon is usually better for harajuku since the shops that do open tend to start later. for sensoji, go early if you want to see the crowds and get food, but expect it to be shoulder to shoulder by 11am. also worth noting that a lot of the food stalls near nakamise run out of stuff by early afternoon so grab something when you see it
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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.