Yatai (food cart)

For the listed company in the Shanghai Stock Exchange, see Yatai Group.
Yatai at a summer festival[1]

A yatai (屋台) is a small, mobile food stall in Japan typically selling ramen or other food. The name literally means "shop stand".[2][3]

The stall is set up in the early evening on walkways and removed late at night or in the early morning hours.[4]

Though the practice of mobile food stands dates back to the 17th century,[5] yatai became popular and widespread in the Meiji period (1868–1912) and were two-wheeled pushcarts constructed of wood.[2] Yatai were popular during and following World War II, but Japanese authorities imposed regulations ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, citing health concerns.[6] Today, they are prevalent in Fukuoka, but continue to dwindle.[7]

  1. ^ 兵庫県加東市加古川闘竜灘「花まつり鮎まつり」
  2. ^ a b Murakami, Hyōe; Richie, Donald, eds. (1980). A Hundred More Things Japanese. Tokyo: Japan Culture Institute. pp. 66–67. ISBN 9780870404726. LCCN 81112282. OCLC 7133178.
  3. ^ "屋台" [Yatai]. Nihon Kokugo Daijiten (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 56431036. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference FukuokaNow was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Solt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Liaw was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hayata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).