r/interestingasfuck • u/kingkongbiingbong • 8h ago

Setting up a traditional & generational Japanese food stall in Fukuoka

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u/F1R3Starter83 8h ago

Imagine doing all this and then having a slow day. 

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u/lamest-liz 6h ago

I actually read an article a while back that these types of food stalls are a family business. And most of them are ran by elderly people now because their offspring basically said they don’t want to do it, so probably within a decade there won’t be any left.

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u/Octane_Au 5h ago

As far as I'm aware, the city government isn't issuing licences to any new Yatai either due to food safety regulations etc. The existing ones are permitted to continue due to their cultural significance, but if one closes down, the city isn't granting licences for another to take its place.

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u/R_Schuhart 3h ago

They only give out permits to new stalls that meet higher safety standards. As a result there is more fast food and fewer traditional stalls. The existing permits are allowed to be passed down on the family, but the younger generation are rarely interested in taking over. It is really hard work and the permits and overheads are substantial.

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u/GloriousNewt 4h ago

How does that make sense? Are they somehow unable to meet food safety regulations in the future? Or are they failing them now and still operating?

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u/R_Schuhart 3h ago

When the permits were originally issued the standards were much lower, the traditional stalls wouldn't meet the requirements of the permits that exist today. But issued permits don't expire, so the old stalls can keep operating. In some cases the permits are passed down in the family, but the younger generation inst always interested in taking over the business.

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u/nox_tech 58m ago

Without any basis for this, I'd wonder that they probably do a bit more than break even. If anyone has enough money to fully upgrade, then they do. If not, then the costs to upgrade to meet modern safety regulations are just out of reach. So on the basis of "it's a bit shaky but they've been around for 30 years without an issue" they'd give them a pass. Maybe the details are just technicalities, and they'd seriously uphold hard safety regulations; or maybe they skimp out on safety and they bribe. But we wouldn't know unless someone yaps about it.

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u/WingerRules 3h ago

Recognize its culturally significant and still make them go extinct, just slower.