Japan Gluten-free Sashimi Bar Hopping Tours(2)

What a fantastic experience. We met Bruce on a rainy evening and he still found us an excellent yatai where we enjoyed wagyu beef. Unagu (conger eel) tempura and other delicious dishes. Deciding the rain had eliminated some of our yatai choices we went hunting for other options - and found two off the hook gyoza restaurants. One was a favorite of Bruce and the other a recommendation from the Yatai chef. They were both excellent in different ways. We finished the evening with a delicious bowl of fukuoka's signature ramen and a pleasant walk home. Bruce's knowledge of all things food and Japan was impeccable and his ability to assist us in finding the best choices for our taste despite the weather was exceptional. 10 out of 10. Would recommend .

Bruce was awesome. So welcoming and knowledgeable about the area, having lived here for 40 years and counting. Not only did he bring us to Yatai stalls that were amazing, but he personally knew each and every owner like family. It really felt like going out with an old friend to all his favorite spot and introducing us to his friends. I would highly recommend and will definitely see him again when I come back to Fukuoka!

We had a great time with Bruce and learned a lot about Yatai culture and the food scene in Fukuoka City. Well worth a try if you’re a visitor to this city.

Our time with Bruce was one of the highlights of Fukuoka, and helped us fall in love with the city! Bruce has serious Anthony Bourdain vibes. We were joined by guides Tony and Toki, and together had a fantastic evening of food, history, conversation, and basking in Bruce’s clear love for the city and its people. I’m vegetarian, my spouce is not, and at each stop Bruce made sure we were both happy and taken care of. Mochi kinchaku oden, freshly stir fried vegetables, yakisoba, so many options!! Our tour was a Sunday evening, so certain stalls were closed and our plans flexed and flowed beautifully throughout the evening. It led us to a couple of unplanned yatai that were so delicious, we used the skills Bruce taught us to go back again and again on other nights. Toki even taught us the local phase for delicious, “ばりうま！” which thrilled everyone we used it on. The food was ridiculously good, and all the stalls we visited were filled with locals. Afterwards we went to Bruce’s favorite most scenic 7-Eleven in the city for the best ice cream bars to round out a phenomenal evening. We’ll treasure our memories of Fukuoka.

Bruce was an exceptional tour guide—easy going, knowledgeable, and deeply connected to the heart of Fukuoka’s yatai culture. His rapport with the yatai operators was immediately evident; it felt like we were being welcomed not just by vendors, but by friends. Some of the regulars greeted him with genuine joy, a testament to the relationships he’s built up at these establishments. Fellow travelers were impressed by his effortless Japanese, which comes as no surprise given his 40 years of living in Fukuoka. With Bruce leading the way, the experience felt less like a tour and more like an insider’s night out in the city, experiencing the original and less touristy yatai scene as well as some of the super popular spots. Just be warned, (4) yatai stalls is a lot of food!