Former Nara Prison to Become HOSHINOYA Luxury Hotel With Museum

HOSHINOYA will open HOSHINOYA Nara Prison, a hotel located in the former Nara Prison, on June 25, 2026, and a museum at the site on April 27.

HOSHINOYA will open HOSHINOYA Nara Prison on June 25, 2026, in the former Nara Prison, the only surviving structure of the Meiji government’s “Five Great Prisons.” Construction on the original prison began in 1901, and it was commissioned in 1908 as part of a national project by the Meiji government. Designed by Keijiro Yamashita, the building features red-brick masonry using the Haviland System, with multiple wings radiating from a central guardhouse. The site was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 2017.

The transformation will create HOSHINOYA’s ninth property, offering 48 suites with dedicated areas for sleeping, living, and dining. “The 10-Cell” suite will combine ten original solitary cells into a single space. The design incorporates original 100-year-old hand-laid brick walls and iron pillars with modern architecture and wood paneling.

A detached dining hall will serve Japanese-French cuisine. The property will also offer a variety of experiences and activities, with details in development. The site’s red-brick structures have undergone seismic retrofitting, completed pursuant to a 2017 agreement with the Ministry of Justice and the Former Nara Prison Preservation and Utilization Co., Ltd.

The grounds will also include the Nara Prison Museum, scheduled to open on April 27. The museum will be a public facility focused on the site’s history and architectural heritage and will welcome day visitors from April 27. The hotel and museum are located within the former prison, which served for over a century and was recognized for its historical and architectural significance.

The former Nara Prison was originally built as part of the Meiji government’s efforts toward judicial modernization and the abolition of unequal treaties. The five prisons completed during the Meiji period include Nara, Nagasaki, Kanazawa, Chiba, and Kagoshima.