Yatai are the most emblematic covered street-food stalls in Japan, with 140 active stalls in Nakasu and Tenjin; dinner from 1.000-2.000 ¥.
The yatai of Fukuoka are the most unique and authentic gastronomic experience in Kyushu: covered street-food stalls mounted on wheels that appear every night at sunset on the banks of the Naka river and in the Tenjin district, with room for between six and ten diners sitting on stools in front of the cook's griddle. Fukuoka currently has around 140 active yatai, 80% of all those remaining in Japan, and the municipal government protects them as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Each yatai has its speciality: hakata ramen (with a white, concentrated pork broth, tonkotsu), gyoza, yakitori, tempura, oden or Chinese cuisine. The experience is intimate and convivial: into ten square metres fit the cook, ten diners and all the conversation in the world, with the steam and the smell of the griddle as the atmosphere. The price of a full dinner with a drink is around 1.500-2.500 ¥. The best concentrations are on the north bank of the Naka river (Nakasu), in Tenjin-chuo park and in front of the Momochi cathedral. The yatai open at nightfall (around 18:00) and close at midnight or later.
