屋台(やたい)

やたい
noun
food stall, street vendor
foodculture
1. food stall, street vendor cart
A small movable stall or cart set up outdoors to sell food and drinks, commonly seen at festivals and in entertainment districts.
屋台(やたい)でラーメンを食(た)べた。
I ate ramen at a food stall.
祭(まつ)りの屋台(やたい)で焼(や)きそばを買(か)った。
I bought yakisoba at a festival stall.
福岡(ふくおか)の中洲(なかす)には屋台(やたい)がたくさん並(なら)んでいて、観光客(かんこうきゃく)に人気(にんき)がある。
Nakasu in Fukuoka is lined with food stalls and popular with tourists.
2. festival float
A large decorated float or portable stage pulled through streets during festivals.
豪華(ごうか)な屋台(やたい)が通(とお)りを進(すす)む。
An ornate festival float parades down the street.
秋(あき)祭(まつ)りでは地区(ちく)ごとに屋台(やたい)を出(だ)す。
Each district brings out its own festival float for the autumn festival.
子供(こども)たちは屋台(やたい)の上(うえ)で太鼓(たいこ)を叩(たた)きながら町(まち)を練(ね)り歩(ある)いた。
The children paraded through town beating drums atop the festival float.

Etymology

屋(や) (roof/shop) + 台(たい) (stand/platform).

SENSE 1 — FOOD STALLS:
屋台(やたい) food stalls are a major part of Japanese street food culture. Fukuoka's 中洲(なかす) district is especially famous for its 屋台(やたい) serving ramen, 焼(や)き鳥(とり), and おでん. Festival 屋台(やたい) sell items like 焼(や)きそば, たこ焼(や)き, 綿菓子(わたがし), and りんご飴(あめ).

SENSE 2 — FESTIVAL FLOATS:
In festivals like the 高山(たかやま)祭(まつ)り and 秩父(ちちぶ)夜祭(よまつり), 屋台(やたい) refers to large ornate floats pulled through the streets.

Common collocations

Related Words

Compare: ブース (booth, stall)
Compare: 模擬店(もぎてん) (stall (at a school festival))
general
Added 2026.2.8 13:46 · Revised 2026.10.19 9:24
10500/10549_yatai