Fukuoka City’s famous yatai street stalls are to face a strict regulation of the rules from July 2013. The updated regulations cover the following points: • If a yatai cart is in the way of the pedestrian traffic, Fukuoka City has the right to stop business until the obstruction is removed. • Yatai opening/set-up times (currently 18:00, or 16:00 in the Seiryu Park area) will be required to set up earlier. This is due to pedestrian accidents that occur when yatai stalls are being set up in the dark. • The size restriction will be reviewed by Fukuoka City. Under current regulations, the size of a yatai must be within 3m x 2.5m, however most existing yatai stalls are not able to meet this restriction. • Anybody can apply for the license to run a yatai. In the past, yatai were only to be passed down through one generation and not to be purchased by an outsider, however this will change. • Yatai owners are not outsource their yatai to others. Fukuoka City aims to keep the much loved local yatai industry alive, while making improvements to the system through the stricter regulations. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun Oct 10
