Nara's Historic Prison To Become Luxury Hotel and Museum

The museum’s theme, described as “Questions from a Beautiful Prison,” will feature exhibitions that recreate prison life, including visits to solitary confinement cells. The iconic red-brick structure, built in the Meiji era as one of Japan’s five major prisons, has been designated an Important Cultural Property. After its closure in 2017, four of the prison’s radiating wings are being converted into a hotel, while one wing will be preserved as the museum.

Nara Prefecture sees the project as a potential remedy for long-standing tourism challenges. According to the prefecture’s tourism strategy division chief Katsunori Tsuji, local tourism is often characterized as “cheap, shallow, and narrow.” In fiscal 2023, per-visitor spending averaged only about 6,000 yen, far below the national average of 9,931 yen. Fewer than 10% of visitors stay overnight, limiting both length of stay and spending. Most tourists remain around Nara Park, resulting in a narrow concentration of activity.

The redevelopment of the former prison, located at the northern edge of the “Kitamachi” district near Nara Park, is expected to diversify visitor flows and encourage longer stays. “Nara has historic buildings across the prefecture,” said Tsuji. “By opening the Nara Prison site, we hope to also highlight other hidden assets.”

The hotel, to be branded as “Hoshinoya Nara Prison,” will offer 48 luxury rooms, making it Japan’s first hotel adapted from an Important Cultural Property. Alongside the museum, it is positioned as a flagship project for raising visitor spending.

Nara aims to shift from “cheap, shallow, narrow” to “high, deep, wide” tourism. Prefecture officials point to Osaka’s recent surge in luxury hotels built ahead of Expo 2025 as an example, and hope the prison redevelopment will have a similar impact.

Nara’s tourism potential is underscored by survey data showing Nara Park as the top destination for Expo visitors, ahead of Universal Studios Japan and Osaka Castle. The prefecture also ranks seventh nationwide in inbound tourist numbers.

Prefectural officials emphasize Nara’s unique strength in offering early-morning experiences, such as attending temple services at Hasedera, guided tours of main halls, and traditional breakfast dishes like tea porridge. Lacking the nightlife attractions of Osaka or Kyoto, Nara is positioning itself around these distinctive “morning experiences” to increase overnight stays and raise economic impact.

With the opening of the museum and hotel next spring, the former Nara Prison is poised to become both a cultural landmark and a potential savior of the prefecture’s tourism strategy.

Source: YOMIURI