Nagasaki Seiyōkan (Western-style Pavilion)
Nagasaki Seiyōkan was a commercial complex located in Kawaguchi-machi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture. The address was 13-1 Kawaguchi-machi, Nagasaki City, and it was operated by Nagaden Creat Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Nagasaki Electric Tramway, whose headquarters were also located on the building’s third floor.
The site was originally used as a monthly parking lot by Nagasaki Electric Tramway in 1978. Later, the 1985 “Nagasaki Urban Renaissance Plan 2001” promoted the construction of an elevated road along the Urakami River, forcing the relocation of streetcar tracks that had previously run along National Route 206. After the relocation, the company’s land was divided in two, so the decision was made to redevelop the former parking lot into a new commercial facility. On November 30, 1990, Nagasaki Seiyōkan officially opened.
The building had three floors above ground and two underground levels. Its most distinctive feature was a tunnel that allowed streetcars to pass directly through the building, the first of its kind in a Japanese commercial complex. Inside, it once housed restaurants and retail shops, such as the “Coco’s” family restaurant (formerly “Sunday Sun,” remodeled in 2008) and imported goods stores, along with various seasonal events. The exterior was designed in a Western architectural style, with festive illuminations—particularly at Christmas—that gave the area a strong international atmosphere.
The third floor housed the Nagasaki Streetcar Museum, which relocated there from the company’s headquarters on April 30, 2010, and showcased the history of the Nagasaki Electric Tramway. The facility also regularly hosted flea markets, concerts, and even special events such as a professional wrestling show on October 16, 2011.
Located along National Route 206 and adjacent to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Hypocenter, the building’s south side faced the Atomic Bomb Museum tram stop. With trams literally running through the structure, it became a unique part of Nagasaki’s urban landscape.
However, following the outbreak of COVID-19, tenants gradually withdrew, and by June 2022 about one-third of the building was vacant. In the end, Seiyōkan closed permanently at the end of May 2023. While Nagasaki Electric Tramway considered selling the land and building, it emphasized that the tram tracks would remain in place, and any demolition or redevelopment must ensure the safe operation of the streetcar line.
In August 2023, JR Kyushu purchased the property and began demolition. From June 2024, NHK’s program “Demolition Kingdom” conducted on-site coverage twice and later aired a special episode titled “Demolishing a Building with a Streetcar Running Through It” on October 16, 2024. That same month, students from Seidō Mikawadai High School’s General Science Club created a 1/150 scale model of Nagasaki Seiyōkan to commemorate the building’s unique existence.
