Chinese Restaurant Hirune

Near Nishinomiya Shrine, a renowned power spot representing Nishinomiya, Hyogo, lies a Chinese restaurant called “Chinese Restaurant Hirune.” It’s often featured on local Kansai TV programs, so many people might recognize the name. Their chashu pork is incredibly famous, and I wanted to try it. One weekend, when I had business nearby, I stopped by the restaurant. As those in the know are aware, this place is quite unique…

The shop name changes between day and night… and this is the kind of place Chinese Restaurant Hirune is.

It’s well-known among Kansai foodies, but someone unfamiliar with Chinese Restaurant Hirune might find the signboard odd upon their first visit. The shop’s facade displays two names: “中華ひるね” and its sister restaurant “食堂せかい” But the three characters for “ひるね” are written horizontally. It literally spells out “nap” in letters. Just seeing this makes you think the founder must have been quite the playful person, right? Unfortunately, that founder has since gone independent and apparently runs a shop called Yakibuta Hichimaru…

But here’s the thing: this place actually changes its name between day and night. During the day, it’s “Set Meal Restaurant Hiruma”; at night, it’s “Chinese Restaurant Hirune”… So, when I visited for lunch, it was officially operating as “Set Meal Restaurant Hiruma” (though since the “Chinese Restaurant Hirune” name is more famous, I’m using that here in this article). What’s more, you can actually order from the menu of the affiliated restaurant “Restaurant Sekai” on the second floor right here on the first floor. It’s a super convenient system for customers, but honestly, it’s a bit confusing…

Huge and thick! But how did it taste? I tried Chinese Restaurant Hirune’s famous Chashu—what was it really like?

So, let me introduce the restaurant’s signature dish I ordered at Chinese Restaurant Hirune that day: Chashu. I got it as part of the Half- Fried Rice & Chashu Set, and the price? 1,190 yen including tax…

After waiting about 10 minutes after ordering, the half-fried rice & chashu set arrived looking like this. It’s hard to convey in this image, but each slice of chashu is huge and thick… almost big enough to cover an adult’s palm.

Now, about that chashu. It looked at least 5mm thick, making even a single slice incredibly substantial. The meat was leaner, offering a satisfyingly meaty texture rather than softness. It was generously coated in a sweet soy sauce glaze, and taking a bite made me crave a drink… Its volume means it works perfectly as a side dish, but personally, I just wanted to chug a beer.

As for the fried rice, it’s more moist than fluffy. I think it has tiny dried shrimp inside? It has a rich broth flavor and a unique umami you don’t find in other places’ fried rice. It also has two kinds of pork, and even though it’s pork, each piece tastes different in the mouth. It was a bit surprising, but this fried rice also shows a subtle level of dedication.

This is the set meal at Chinese Restaurant Hirune: half-fried rice & chashu. I ordered it mainly for the chashu, but personally, the fried rice was more original and left a stronger impression. The chashu is generous, and it comes with soup too. Even though it’s a half-fried rice set, the portion is substantial enough to fill you up for lunch. Next time I get the chance, I’d love to order a full serving of fried rice instead of the half-size… So, I recommend this place not just to chashu lovers, but also to fried rice enthusiasts in Kansai.

Other Lunch Menu Items at Chinese Restaurant Hirune (Prices include tax)

• Scallion Half-Fried Rice & Chashu Noodle Set: ¥1,250
• Half-Fried Rice & Ramen Set: ¥1,100
• Chashu Set: ¥990
• Chashu Noodles (Single): ¥850
• Chashu (Half): ¥750
• Fried Rice (Single): ¥700
• 8 pieces of Gyoza: ¥500

Chashu can be ordered online… Access to Chinese Restaurant Hirune is a 7-minute walk from the nearest station, Hanshin Electric Railway Nishinomiya Station.

At Chinese Restaurant Hirune, they offer online sales of their famous chashu. At ¥1,490 per serving (shipping separate), you might think “That’s expensive!” at first glance. But each serving contains 350g of meat… If you compare it to a typical yakiniku restaurant serving 100g per person, it’s actually not bad value at all. They don’t have an online store, but if you call the restaurant, they’ll happily take your order. If you’re thinking, “I can’t make it to Nishinomiya that often…”, why not try ordering Chinese Restaurant Hirune‘s chashu to try it?

Now, here are the restaurant details…