Try Champon at Horaiken Bekkan, a Gorgeous Chinese Restaurant Near Nagasaki Peace Park

Every time I visit home Nagasaki, I look for great Nagasaki specialties. On a recent trip, I checked out Horaiken Bekkan thanks to this blog post.
(Though it’s called “Bekkan,” meaning annex, I heard the original main location in Chinatown no longer exists.)

Of course I had their champon. The soup was so smooth and rich—exactly my type.
It was good enough to make me sure their sara udon and other Chinese dishes must be delicious too. Next time, I want to come with more people and try a variety.

Horaiken Bekkan is near Nagasaki Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum, so I highly recommend stopping by if you’re sightseeing in the area.

Horaiken Bekkan: Impressive Building Near Nagasaki Peace Park

After getting off the streetcar at the Atomic Bomb Museum stop, it’s just a few minutes’ walk uphill before you see a striking, impressive building. The sign says “Chinese Cuisine Horaiken Bekkan.”

It’s a vibrant, glamorous red and orange building, classic for a Chinese restaurant. The street is narrow, so it’s too big to capture in a single iPhone shot.

They have a private parking lot across the street, so it’s possible to come by car. Just note that Nagasaki has many narrow, hilly roads—driving can be a bit nerve-wracking, though around here it’s probably fine.

A courteous staff member showed me to my seat. Most seating is at tables, but there are also a few counter seats, making it comfortable even for solo diners.
I heard the upper floors are reserved for groups, so it probably gets lots of tour groups visiting after Peace Park or the museum.

The lunch menu looked tempting…

…but of course I had to go for the classic champon (¥900). The crispy or thick noodle sara udon was tempting too.

As much as I love Chinese food, I didn’t order another dish since they mainly serve large platters meant for sharing.
If they’d had a single serving of mapo tofu, I would’ve definitely gone for it. Everything looked delicious.

Exceptional Soup with Rich, Deep Flavor—So Good!

The champon arrived, piled high with vegetables and a little meat and seafood.

A heaping mound of toppings in a milky white broth. It looked amazing.

At first the soup seemed light, but then the savory richness slowly spread in my mouth. So good.
I’m guessing it’s a blend of seafood and chicken stock.

The noodles didn’t seem to use the special lye (toaku) typical of Nagasaki champon, but were shiny and soft, similar to places like Ringer Hut.
I might have preferred the traditional style, but with such a tasty soup, it didn’t matter to me at all.

Have you ever seen soup this beautifully smooth on the surface? You can tell just by looking how it’s not greasy at all. It went down so easily.

I know you shouldn’t drink too much soup, but I nearly finished it. It was just that good.

Final Thoughts

When people think of Chinese food in Nagasaki, they usually think of Chinatown.
But there are actually many great Chinese restaurants all over the city—lots of hidden gems.

Horaiken Bekkan serves excellent champon, and I’m sure their other dishes are fantastic too.
Plus, being close to Peace Park makes it the perfect stop for visitors. Next time, I’m definitely trying the sara udon!