Apart from classics such as ramen, oden, and yakitori, French and other international cuisines can also be found with increasing frequency. 

In this article we will be focusing on ramen, one of the permanent fixtures and most popular yatai menu options. To help narrow the search, we asked other yatai owners about their favorite places, giving this list serious credibility. 

Table of Contents:

① The light “kaeshi” soup at [Takechan fr Tsukasa]

② The ever-reliable flavor at [Kojima Shouten]

③ The pinnacle of a chef’s passion for ramen [Tomochan]

The light “kaeshi” soup at [Takechan fr Tsukasa]

Often said to be the heart of Fukuoka’s yatai scene, we first paid a visit to the Nakasu yatai area. The lively and bright scenery is almost a permanent fixture of nights alongside the Naka River, and visitors from all across Japan and overseas mingle and congregate as they seek to sample the authentic fare here. Among these stalls one in particular stands out. Known as [Shinryu] they have been open for over 30 years, and we asked the owner of the stall Hata-san about which yatai to visit if we craved seriously good ramen. 

▲Left: Yatai [Shinryu] Right: Hata-san

Shinryu
Address: 1-8 Nakasu, Hakata ward, Fukuoka city (inside Seiryu Park)
TEL: 090-3605-3591
Hours: 18;00 PM ~ 1:00 AM
Closures: No set holidays
Separate webpage here

When asked about her favorite ramen, Hata-san said the following. “Since I’m the head of the yatai association I often pay visits to other members of to see how they’re doing. Having said that since I own a yatai myself it’s pretty rare for me to go and eat out at other places since I’m always managing mine. I’m actually a fan of lighter ramen. The heartier stuff doesn’t really agree with me. This is why I am a big fan of the ramen at [Takechan fr Tsukasa]. Their chashu pork is also easy to eat and I’m a big fan.” 

[Takechan fr Tsukasa] is located roughly two minutes away from [Shinryu] by foot. Head north and across Haruyoshi bridge and you’ll find it in the same general Nakasu area. 

[Takechan fr Tsukasa] opened in August of 2019, and is one of the 2nd generation of new yatai that responded to the city’s new yatai initiative. Their aim is to recreate the atmosphere of yatai in the old days. Owner and chef Nakai-san worked for over 20 years at [Tsukasa], another yatai located in the Nakasu area before he seized on the opportunity to open his own location. 

▲Left: Owner and chef Nakai-san, Right: Yatai [Takechan fr Tsukasa]

Convinced by Hata-san’s sales pitch, we decided to head over to see what the ramen here is all about. We dug in. The combination of light broth and unexpectedly delicate chashu made eating a breeze, and before we knew it we were staring back into empty bowls. Nakai-san elaborated on what makes his ramen so special: “Ramen is the best thing to eat after a round of drinks. At my place, we make a lighter type of broth that does not use lard, making it easier on the stomach following a few beers. We also cut the broth with a special kind of sauce called ‘kaeshi’, which is made with steeped shiitake mushrooms, bonito, and various vegetables, giving our ramen a unique flavor. We are always skimming the top to prevent it from developing any sort of overpowering aroma. We also practice a method called “yobimodoshi”, which involves boiling the soup constantly over the course of the day, adding on broth as we go.” 

Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen 700 Yen

Takechan fr Tsukasa
Address: 4-1 Nakasu, Hakata ward, Fukuoka city (inside Seiryu Park)
Tel: 070-7523-7307
Hours: 18:30 PM ~ 1:00 AM
Closures: No set holidays
Separate webpage here

② The ever-reliable flavor at [Kojima Shouten] 

While wandering around the same Nakasu Yatai zone we came across a yatai with the characters ぎょうざ painted onto some noren curtains. Translated, this translates to “Gyoza”, a kind of pan-fried pot sticker/dumpling, and with our interests piqued we pushed the curtains aside and entered the yatai. 

This yatai has actually been making gyoza by hand for over 40 years, and goes by the name [Takechan]. We asked the owner, Takeuchi-san, about where to head next to satisfy our ramen cravings.

When asked, Takeuchi-san said: “If you want good ramen, go check out [Kojima Shouten]. Full disclosure I’ve been frequenting them for a long time now but even so, the ramen there is delicious. Actually, in the past my yatai was located around Haruyoshi bridge, but when reconstruction work occurred there I had to move shop to Seiryu Park. Back when I was by the bridge, [Kojima Shouten] was very close by, but went by the name [Shirochan] in those days. At any rate, I have a long history with them. Because my stall doesn’t really work with ramen noodles I would always go to them in order to get my fix. Of course, I still go there quite frequently.” 

▲Left: Takeuchi-san, Right: Yatai [Takechan]’s Gyoza Curtains

Takechan
Address: 1-8 Nakasu, Hakata ward, Fukuoka City (Inside Seiryu Park)
Tel: 090-9479-6348
Hours: 18:30 PM ~ 12:30 AM 
Closures: No set holidays
Separate webpage here

Ryu-san, the owner of Nagahama Shouei in the Nagahama Yatai Street also added weight to the recommendation, saying “The broth there is easy to drink and delicious” of [Kojima Shouten]. 

At [Kojima Shouten] you can expect to find four varieties of ramen. In addition to the standard Hakata Tonkotsu ramen there are the red ramen, black ramen, and green ramen dishes, but Takeuchi-san from [Takechan] always prefers to order the [Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen] dish. Prior to moving, [Takechan] and [Kojima Shouten] were located right next to one another, but even now having moved it takes only about 2 to 3 minutes to walk from [Takechan] to [Kojima Shoten]. 

Haruyoshi Bridge is packed with visitors, and even on weekdays it tends to attract large crowds. [Kojima Shouten] however is typically thronged with prospective diners who line-up to get in. During peak days/hours, sometimes as many as 30 people line-up to get into the restaurant. 

▲Left: Kojima-san of [Kojima Shouten], Right: A typical dining scene at Yatai [Kojima Shouten]

When asked about the secret to making tasty ramen, Kojima-san replied “Do the things that are obviously important, and do them well. Don’t make compromises with ingredient quality. Even on my days off there’s never a time when ramen broth isn’t bubbling away in preparation. When serving customers I also always have two pots going: one filled with a younger broth, and another with a more full-bodied and developed one. By mixing these two you get this complex and reliably delicious product.” 

The noodles are additionally slightly shorter in order to make them easier to slurp up and eat. “Well, they are a bit shorter, but only slightly. There are some customers who don’t even notice.” Kojima-san said. 

A no-compromise attitude and attention to the finer details make for tasty ramen. [Kojima Shouten] has evidence of this in abundance, we think. 

Hakata Tonkotsu ramen 750yen

Kojima Shouten
Address: 1-8 Nakasu, Hakata ward, Fukuoka City (Inside Seiryu Park)
Tel: 090-9575-1200
Hours: 18:00 PM ~ 1:00 AM 
Closures: No set holidays
Separate page here

③ The pinnacle of a chef’s passion for ramen [Tomochan] 

For our next tip we head from the Nakasu area towards Tenjin, specifically by the Bank of Japan Fukuoka Branch. Our target is a unique yatai that goes by the name [Bar Ebi-chan], headed by Ebina-san. With bottles of all sorts lining the interior of the yatai and atmospheric lighting, it is easy to forget that you are in an outdoor food stall when you visit. 

“Ebina-san, will you let us know which yatai serves tasty ramen?” we ask. Ebina-san returns our question with a gentle smile. 

Ebina-san lets us know of a place across from his yatai across Showa-dori avenue called “Tomochan”. 

Ebi-chan explained his choice. “After we moved to this area from Reisen Park I started frequenting [Tomochan]. There, they have a large pot of broth constantly boiling away, and I find myself enjoying food made with that kind of diligence and attention to preparation. As a professional who works with food myself, I really think that earnestness leads to great flavor.”

[Tomochan]’s owner, Eguchi-san, is the second-generation proprietor of the yatai, having inherited it from his parents. As Ebina-san is also a second-generation yatai owner he felt an affinity with him. 

Ebina-san additionally explained that the day before we visited he had taken the day off on account of bad weather. However, that very same day he paid [Tomochan], who was still open, a visit. “I actually visited [Tomochan] yesterday. Even on days I’m closed [Tomochan] is still open. They’re pretty serious about their business.” 

▲Left: Bar-Ebichan Right: Ebina-san

“I believe that yatai aren’t just places to eat and socialize, but also fulfill a function akin to that of an area concierge. That’s why I want to be prepared for when people ask me questions like where to find the best ramen, or really anything that I may be able to help out with.” With those words Ebina-san sent us off to enjoy a meal at [Tomochan]. 

Yatai Bar Ebichan
Address: 4-2-1 Tenjin, Chuo ward, Fukuoka City (In front of the Bank of Japan Fukuoka Branch)
Tel: 090-3735-4939
Hours: Friday/Saturday 19:00 PM ~ 1:00 AM, Sunday~Thursday 19:00 PM ~ 12:00 AM
Closures: No set holidays
Separate page here

Cross the traffic light on Showa-dori Avenue and you will find [Tomochan]. It is a popular restaurant with a long line of customers, including celebrities. After waiting in line for about 30 minutes, our turn finally came.

“Irasshaimase-!” rang out from the counter as we took our seats. 
 

ramen 750yen

“I try to make a soup that is both light but has some ‘oomph’ to it.” said [Tomochan]’s Eguchi-san. Inside the stall, there are three small pots. “The first one is for boiling the noodles. This one on the other hand is for the finished pork bone soup. Finally, this one is still simmering and is not ready to be served. It has to be simmered for at least two days during business hours, and we use only pork bones to make a broth that is both light and rich. Our soup is 100% tonkotsu and nothing but.”

▲Left: Yatai [Tomochan] Right: Eguchi-san

Tomochan
Address: 1-14 Tenjin, Chuo ward, Fukuoka City Tel: 090-3735-4939
Hours: 18:15 PM ~ 1:00 AM (sometimes around 1:30)
Closures: Mondays (On holidays, they are closed on Tuesday as well)
Separate page here

When going to yatai, ramen are a must-try. Since ramen are fundamentally a simple dish, they allow you to truly appreciate the flavor of differing locations. There are plenty of places that we couldn’t fit into this article that would definitely be worth trying as well. Why not try looking for your own favorite? 

On the next edition of this yatai series we will be introducing “The Nagahama Yatai Area・Ramen”. Be on the lookout for it!