Yatai

As thriving open-air markets for street food, the Yatai are Fukuoka’s hubs of flavor, experimentation and entertainment. At night, their bright lights, red lanterns and colorful signs create a shimmering glow on the dark surface of the Naka River. Make your way through the flurry of stalls for a different experience every time.

Individual Yatai kiosks are scattered across the city, with many facing the river from Nakasu Island in the city center. While in this gastronomic hub, stop at one of about 20 Yatai, which each seat seven or eight diners. Enjoy the outdoor setting and lively ambiance and sample impressive local dishes.

Among the favorite dishes are ramen noodles, hot pot and yakitori (grilled chicken skewers). Try the Hakata ramen noodle dish in a pork bone soup and accompany your meal with beer or another alcoholic beverage. Many restaurants serve their own specialties, such as garlicky gyoza dumplings and oden winter soup.

Chat with the other diners sitting along your counter to learn about their backgrounds and opinions on these open-air food huts. Some locals love them while others would like them to disappear. On the island, you’ll find a range of specialty food and souvenir shops alongside the Yatai. This section of the island is also Fukuoka’s main red-light district.

Note that most Yatai restaurants open daily from late afternoon until the early hours of the morning, weather permitting. Individual stalls also tend to close on one day each week, which is often Sunday. Expect waiting times and lines on Friday and Saturday nights. Despite the traditional theme, many of these sites have multilingual menus and cashless payment methods.

While at one time hundreds of Yatai were scattered around Fukuoka, today the city has less than 100. Find one main row of Yatai on the southern end of Nakasu Island in the city center. Get a bus to Higashi Nakasu Station and walk south for 10 minutes to reach these kiosks. Make your way around the surrounding area for other sights such as Seiryu Park, the Kushida Shrine and Tenjin Central Park.