No.1 Number of Food stands area in Japan, Evolving food stands of Fukuoka

More than 100 Food stands! Fukuoka, the town of food stands

Fukuoka, north part of the southern island in Japan is known to have most numbers of food stands in Japan. Food stand is one of Japanese drinking culture where small stalls line up on the street that comes to its place as a mobile stall. When the sun sets, food stands starts to light their lamps and start cooking. People who finished work comes and laughs their days off. The atomosphere and vibes created by the food stands and people enjoying their time demonstrate the drinking culture of Japan.

The culture of food stands in Fukuoka City started from building simple mobile stalls on streets after the Second World War. The number of food stands increased rapidlly and it reached 400 stores at its peak 50 years ago. It is now gradually decreasing in number but still about a 100 opens every night.

Food stand became a problem at one time, when there were so many of them that they couldn’t fit in one space and so they disorderly scattered on the street. The problem with hygiene also araised but with strong feelings to keep the culture of food stands, Fukuoka City enacted“Fukuoka City Fundamental Ordinance against Food Stands” in 2013. In addition to that, public recruitment for food stands began in 2016, to liven up the food stand culture in Fukuoka again.

Food stands beyond middle aged male
Increasing younger generation and female customers

So what is the characteristics of food stands in Fukuoka. The Fukuoka festival and food stand revitalization correspondant says, “There is a rule for food stands in Fukuoka. All stands must fit the size of 3m by 2.5m and chairs and table are not allowed to go beyond that size. So people gather in small spaces to eat and drink and this is probably why people communicate with each other even though they do not know each other in the first place.” We say that food stands in Fukuoka have human touches and close relationships but we can now tell you that the physical distance plays a big part of their closeness.

Do people in Fukuoka really go to food stands regulary? We took a look at a survey done by municipal administration in 2018. People who “have been to the food stands” was a little over 70% and people who “goes to the food stands more than three times a year” was 7.5% for female and 17.4% male. Majority of the people who eat and drink at the food stands appear to be male in their 30s and 40s. However, there has been a raise in use of female between the age of 18 to 29 recently. 34% of them say that they use the food stands for “dinner and drinking”. Food stands used to be a place for middle aged male to go at the end of their dinner and drinking to finish off but it is now changing to more towards the younger generation where they go eat dinner.

Check out the high CP “food stand tickets”!
Sold at the tourist information center in Fukuoka

Now we are done with prior research and will go to the food stand area! But how will we choose which one to go when it is our first time and there are more than 100 food stands in this area. We were told that there is something called “food stand ticket”. Osamu Ide, the CRO of IDEA Partners who came up with the idea of “food stand ticket” told us that that there are three main areas where food stands gather, Tenjin, Nakasu and Nagahama. Untill recently there are complaints from the tourists about how it is hard to find the right one they are looking for since there are so many and the price system is hard to understand so people hesitate to go into one when they are there for the first time. So he made a ticket where tourtists are able to visit selected and recommended food stands in each areas. Tickets cost \1,050 each and peole are able to have a drink and a recommended menu of theirs per ticket. 12 food stands participate currently (as of July, 2019) mainly in Tenjin area where a lot of local people go and has been popular for tourists since they started selling them. Ossamu told us that “It would make me happy if tourists have a gateway to food stand culture in Fukuoka since they are definately worth experiencing.”

Food stand ticket
Where to find: Tourist Information Center, Fukuoka, Tourist Information Center, TenjinMunicipal administration office, Ticket Port Parco Fukuoka, Hakata Exel Hotel Tokyu, Hotel New Otani Hakata https://chikets.com/tickets/9/buy?lang=en
*One ticket per group
Contact: IDEA Partners
Phone: 092-401-0877 (open on weekdays from 10:00 – 18:00 )

Food stand hopping a.k.a Hashigo-sake in Tenjin area

We decided to go visit two of the food stands introduced on the “food stand ticket”, “kiryu” infront of Daimaru Fukuoka (a department store) and Jyonetsu no Chidoriashi infront of the Tenjin Loft. “Kiryu” has started their business 12 years ago and has been popular all along. People make lines outside to get in soon afer the stand open, even on weekdays. The master of “Kiryu” welcomed us with a traditional call of saying welcome in Japanese, “Irasshaimase”. The stand was packed with poeple, locals, tourists, and foreign people as well, all lining shoulders closely with each other to fit into the space. The master creates the atomosphere where everyone feels welcome by making a one big conversation in the stand. Fried Ramen, Gyoza, and Fukuoka’s famous Mentaiko (seasoned cod roe) dishes and many more are offered here. With our “food stand ticket”, we were able to enjoy two recommended dishes, half size ramen, half size gyoza and a drink! What a cost effective ticket!

Stand name: Kiryu
Business hours: 19:00 – 3:00 a.m.

Our next stop with after Kiryu is, Jyonetsu no Chidoriashi. “Jyonetsu” means passion and “Chidoriashi” means tipsy feet in Japanese so the name of the stand can be translated into “Passionate tipsy feet”. They main offer is vension meat and game meat from Fukuoka. They have the original store in West Nakasu and this is their second shop. They buy whole deers and game as a whole and cut it at the stand. This is probably the only food stand where you can find a variety of vensions and game dishes. They offer Yakitori, and oden like the other stands but if you are here, you would like to look at the reccomended menu of the day. There, they offer things like Grilled game fillet, Grilled vension loin, Fire-roasted duck, Grilled game and vegitables, etc… We ordered the Venison sausage and vegetable plate. The chef who trained in both Japanese and Italian restaurants offered us a beautiful plate (that you cannot believe you are in a food stand!”) His plate made the group of girls from Tokyo holler in fascination while we were there. Their main customers happens to be girls, and we know why.

Stand name: Jyonetsu no Chidoriashi
Business hours: 18:00 – 25:00

Food stands used to be places specificly for things like ramen, gyoza, takitori and oden. But we have to admit that the food stands in Fukuoka is evolving with innovative creativity! They now have from French cusine, British cusine, to even Tenpura. No wonder they have caught attention of younger generation with their ideas. Why don’t you go and try it out?!