Squeeze in beside locals at a street stall
A yatai is a small open-air food stall that sets up on the street at dusk, with a cloth curtain called a noren hanging over a counter of a few seats; Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu, is the city best known for them. Duck under the curtain, sit shoulder to shoulder with strangers, and share a drink over ramen or grilled skewers while chatting with the owner. Most open in the early evening, but closing days and rain closures differ by stall, so check on the day you go.
Along the Naka River in Fukuoka's Nakasu district, a row of stalls lights up after dark, their lanterns reflected in the water. Sit at a counter for Hakata ramen, thin noodles in a creamy pork-bone broth, or grilled skewers, and you will likely end up talking with the owner or the person next to you. Bring cash, since many stalls do not take cards, and note that some close when it rains.
A stall in the middle of Tenjin, Fukuoka's main shopping district, serving grilled dishes and Chinese-style food. Its mapo tofu, a spicy Sichuan dish of tofu in a chili and meat sauce, is made at whatever heat you choose, and goes well with gyoza dumplings and a beer. It stays open late into the night, but closing days are irregular.
A stall in Nagahama, near Fukuoka's fish market, known for tsukune, chicken meatballs, in about 20 flavors, along with horumon, grilled offal. It is an easy place for women together or solo travelers to drop in, and it takes credit cards, which is unusual for a yatai. It is closed Monday to Wednesday.
A small stall in Nagahama where you sit close to the owner across the counter. Seasonal vegetables wrapped in meat and grilled, and yaki-ramen, ramen noodles stir-fried in sauce, are the favorites, and upbeat music keeps the mood relaxed for first-timers. Closing days are irregular, and you can book a seat through Instagram.
An alley of 20 tiny stalls a few minutes' walk from Obihiro Station, in the farmland of eastern Hokkaido, each with its own curtain and its own menu, from yakitori to French and Italian dishes. Most cook with vegetables, dairy and meat from the surrounding Tokachi plain, one of Japan's biggest farming areas. Hopping from one stall to the next is part of the fun; hours and closing days vary by stall.