Fukuoka Yatai Food Stalls 屋台

Yatai serve up some of the best street food in Fukuoka . These temporary food stalls are set up every evening across the city and draw crowds of locals and visitors. It's not just about the food, though; the close-knit atmosphere is part of their appeal.

Yatai are found across the city but are concentrated in two main areas: Tenjin and Nakasu , both of which are well connected by bus or subway.

Yatai are an integral and irresistible part of the Fukuoka food scene. While other cities have clamped down on these iconic street stalls, in Fukuoka , they thrive, and are a charm of the city.

Every evening you'll see these temporary temples to street food unpacked and set up across the city. From around 6 p.m. until the early hours of the morning, locals and tourists alike queue up to sample Fukuoka's best street fare.

Yatai are concentrated in two main areas across the city: Tenjin and Nakasu . Each yatai seats around ten people, and you'll be packed shoulder to shoulder with your neighbors. They are excellent places to experience Fukuoka culture and meet locals over a bowl of ramen, freshly grilled yakitori, or even a plate of snails in garlic butter.

From 2017, 37 new stalls opened in various locations across the city, upping the competition and adding several new genres of cuisine to the already busy scene.

While you can hardly go wrong with a yatai, the popularity of each is easily judged by the queue of eager punters. Be warned, though, these aren't places for sitting around for long conversations over a single drink. Particularly at busy yatai, you should only stay as long as you're eating, and give up your seats to the next customers.