The former Nara Prison, constructed in 1908 in Nara, Japan, was designated a cultural property in 2017 and reopened in June 2026 as the Hoshinoya Nara Prison Hotel. Operated by Hoshino Resorts, the complex spans 25 acres and retains key historical architecture.
Hotel Conversion and Design
The luxury hotel features a star-shaped layout with five detention wings radiating from a central command post. The original prison’s architectural elements, such as hand-laid brick walls, ceiling moldings, green wooden cell doors with inspection slots, ventilation hatches, skylights, and steel reinforcement beams, were preserved during the nearly seven-year renovation.
The Nara Prison Museum is located within the
complex, complementing the hotel’s historical theme.
Guest Rooms and Pricing
Former prison cells have been merged and refurbished into three types of guest accommodations. The largest room type, called the “11-Cell Deluxe,” includes a living area and dressing lounge. Nightly rates start at $245, with variations depending on the season.
Historical Background
Nara Prison was one of Japan’s first five Western-style detention facilities built during the Meiji era, located east of Osaka. After 1946, it was renamed Nara Juvenile Prison and held inmates aged 16 to 26, who learned vocational skills such as haircutting and license plate manufacturing. The complex included a Romanesque-style main gate, a
two-story administrative building, and a watch house overseeing five prison wards. The prison originally housed approximately 635 inmates in cells equipped with a toilet, sink, window, and heavy wooden doors that could not be opened from inside when unlocked.
Cultural Significance and Media Use
The prison site was used as a filming location for the “Jack of Hearts” arc in the second season of Netflix’s Japanese series “Alice in Borderland,” where the character Chishiya navigates the prison setting.
Management Vision and Tourism Impact
Masaya Kakegawa, general manager of the Hoshinoya Nara Prison Hotel, stated, “Rather than hiding its past, we wanted guests to physically feel that history as they move
through the space.” He added that the hotel aims to shift Nara from a traditional day-trip destination toward longer stays, saying, “We hope this facility serves as a catalyst for shifting towards stay-based tourism, helping to showcase Nara’s full charm to the world.”
