For hundreds of years, the food stalls known as yatai have played an important role in local communities in Japan. The modern yatai traces its roots to the period following World War II, when black market stalls became more commonplace amid food shortages and widespread economic hardship. Eventually, the national government took steps to restrict the operation of yatai due to health and safety concerns in the run-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Local vendors in Fukuoka successfully lobbied to protect their trade, however.

More than half a century later, the beating heart of yatai culture in Japan is concentrated in Kyushu’s largest city. These days, the municipal government of Fukuoka helps oversee the administration of approximately one hundred food stalls that operate across the city, setting standards for hygiene, supporting logistical needs like access to water and electricity, and ensuring that yatai exist in harmony with their surrounding communities.

The city’s preservation of yatai culture and the lively atmosphere of its many yatai stalls, which range from yakitori stands to casual French mini-diners, are increasingly drawing visitors to Fukuoka and earning the city coverage in international media. In 2023, the New York Times selected Fukuoka as one of the top 52 places to visit, citing its yatai as an unmissable dining experience.

Starting at around 6:00 pm every night, you can enjoy a splendorous array of flavors at yatai scattered across the city of Fukuoka. Some of these stalls have a remarkably long lineage, like Nakasu district’s Yatai Mori, which opened in 1973. This local mainstay serves up classic izakaya cuisine in the vein of skewers and tempura, along with highballs, shochu, and Japanese beer. The convivial atmosphere nurtured by Mr. Mori, the proprietor, not only has earned him a loyal customer base, but characterizes the intimate appeal of yatai dining in a fast-paced modern city.

Other spots specialize in regional dishes such as the beloved Hakata ramen, made with a white pork bone broth; and motsunabe, a rich stew of beef or pork offal with cabbage, chives, and assorted vegetables.

To eat at a yatai is to enjoy a freshly cooked meal or snack in close quarters with other patrons.
The stalls are cozy by default, and the owners and regulars happy to shoot the breeze with visitors. While many yatai only accept cash, a growing number of establishments allow customers to swipe credit cards or use mobile payment systems. No matter where you choose to dine, you’ll get an authentic taste of Fukuoka.

The dozens of yatai in Fukuoka offer an eclectic selection sure to satisfy any gourmet. Besides Fukuoka specialties and Japanese standards like gyoza, oden, or yakitori, a new wave of yatai entrepreneurs are making their own stylish contributions to the city’s food scene.

At Ebi-chan in Tenjin district, ambient lighting, retro posters, and unique glassware create a special atmosphere for guests to enjoy while they munch on bar snacks such as beef tongue and sip on a drink from the extensive cocktail menu. The drinks include seasonal liqueurs, classic martinis and gin fizzes, and Ebi-chan’s signature creations with names like “Kore wa umai” (this is delicious) and “Sri Lanka dream,” all served up by Mr. Ebina Tsuyoshi and his wife Akiko.

Farther south in the same area, Chez Rémy, also known as Remi-sanchi, is a popular spot run by the only French yatai proprietor in Fukuoka. Here you can order French-style fried pork trotters, escargot, and lasagna with meat sauce at incredibly reasonable prices, and perhaps enjoy a glass of wine on the side.

Another example of culinary cosmopolitanism can be found at Telas & mico, run by Mr. Kubota, a Japanese chef inspired by flavors from around the world that he encountered while living in England. This yatai is the outpost of a restaurant by the same name in Haruyoshi district and serves Western foods such as grilled cheese and bruschetta, some made with a Japanese twist like seasoned cod roe butter.

Hearty fare isn’t the only thing on the menu in Fukuoka. At Megane Coffee & Spirits, customers can order hand-dripped coffee, gin, and shochu, or even a special coffee shochu made by soaking coffee beans in the clear liquor. Run by Sugawara Takeharu, a former marketing professional, the stall’s sleek appearance and functionality are the handiwork of a local design office. It’s sure to make an impression on anyone who stops by for a beverage.

Since their peak in the 1960s, the number of food stalls in Fukuoka has steadily declined from well over 400 to a quarter of that figure today. Faced with the danger of yatai culture vanishing altogether, the city government launched a program in 2016 to facilitate the establishment of new food stalls and manage their smooth operation.

Thanks to these efforts and local media campaigns, the number of yatai has held steady over the years, and recent surveys indicate that yatai are viewed favorably by both residents and tourists.
As with many aspects of Fukuoka, the encounter of tradition and modernity and the intermingling of cultures on the streets produce something wholly new and exciting: a food scene that is diverse and dynamic, catering to all tastes in a city that looks ahead to the future.