When visiting Nagasaki, one dish that always appears on the must-eat list is Champon. This hearty noodle soup has roots in Chinese cooking and was first created at Shikairō, widely known as the birthplace of the dish.

The restaurant’s founder, Chen Ping Shun, was a Chinese chef from Fujian Province. In the late 19th century, he created champon as an affordable, filling meal for Chinese students studying in Nagasaki. Inspired by noodle dishes from Fujian cuisine, he adapted the recipe to local tastes. The result was a hearty bowl of noodles in a milky pork-and-chicken broth, topped with vegetables, pork, and seafood.

 

To try this Nagasaki specialty, I visited Lao Lee in Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown. The interior was dim and slightly outdated. My bowl came packed with vegetables and seafood, and the noodles were firm and pleasantly chewy, though the presentation wasn’t particularly appetizing.

Flavor-wise, it didn’t quite win me over. Compared to ramen, the broth lacked depth and tasted somewhat like a more refined instant chicken noodle broth. Perhaps other restaurants in Nagasaki serve a richer version, but it was still interesting to try this iconic local dish in the city where it was created.

Lao Lee

12-7 Shinchimachi, Nagasaki, 850-0842, Japan