A luxury hotel is set to open in the building of a former prison in Japan.
HOSHINOYA Nara Prison will open its doors on June 25, 2026, with reservations launching today, on January 20, 2026 if you’re keen for a quirky stay.
The property in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, will be Japan’s first luxury hotel created within a former prison.
The hotel offers 48 suites, each created by combining nine to eleven former single prison cells.
Suites are divided into distinct areas for sleeping, relaxing and dining.
Design details will aim to create an atmosphere of quiet contemplation – trying to reframe its former confinement aim into an experience of serenity.
The interiors show the contrast between century-old hand-laid brickwork and structural steel supports.
The hotel is housed within the former Nara Prison, the only surviving structure of the ‘Five Great Prisons’ completed during the Meiji period (1868 – 1912) in the country.
A new hotel with luxury furnishings will open soon – and will be located in Japan
The property in Nara City will open in on June 25, 2026 for visitors to stay
It was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 2017.
The red-brick landmark has been meticulously restored and reimagined, transforming into a luxurious sanctuary.
Alongside the hotel, the Former Nara Prison Museum, dedicated to preserving and passing on the site’s profound historical value, will open to the public on April 27, 2026.
The grounds will feature two distinct experiences: HOSHINOYA Nara Prison, a luxury hotel, and the Nara Prison Museum, a public facility dedicated to the site’s history and architectural heritage.
While HOSHINOYA Nara Prison offers an immersive overnight stay, the museum will welcome day visitors, ensuring the landmark remains accessible to the wider public.
The building was originally commissioned in 1908 as part of the modernisation of Japan’s judicial system.
The former Nara Prison is an architectural masterpiece designed by renowned architect Keijiro Yamashita.
Its distinctive layout – featuring multiple wings radiating from a central guardhouse – was based upon the western-style Haviland System, and remains a symbol of Japan’s modern penal history.
The hotel offers 48 suites with top-of-the-range furnishing to create an elevated stay
It will retain its prison-like features to create a truly unique hotel experience
HOSHINOYA Nara Prison preserves these defining architectural elements – iconic red-brick façades, steel frameworks and radiating cellblocks.
But no fear – the hotel will also cater to modern tastes.
The former detention wing has been transformed into an elegant dining hall.
Here, guests will be able to enjoy Japanese-French cuisine – a combination of Western techniques and Japanese flavours.
