This Historic Prison In Japan Will Be Turned Into A Luxury Hotel That Will Start Operational In 2026

Nara Juvenile Prison, Japan. (Wikimedia Commons/663highland)

JAKARTA - A Japanese resort operator said it would turn the historical prison marks in Nara City, western Japan into a luxury hotel that will open in the spring of 2026.

Although guests will have the opportunity to appreciate the historical wealth of facilities dating back to the early 20th century, Hoshino Resorts Inc. ensure they don't have to bear the limited conditions experienced by their residents, as some cells are combined to build 48 living rooms.

The resort operator promised an "extraordinary stay experience" in the iconic red brick building used to be prisoned with renovated interiors, quoted from Kyodo News Oct. 25.

That means the rooms will retain some of the ancient features, including guarding the wall windows placed at altitude to prevent escape from prison at that time.

The new hotel, which will be named Hoshinoya Nara Prison, was previously scheduled to open this summer of 2024. However, the schedule was postponed due to several factors such as the need for a survey of earthquake resistance.

The site is located near Taman Nara, which is home to tourist attractions, including many deer and the Todai-ji temple complex.

Nara Prison, which was completed in 1908, is a rare proof of the Meiji Government's efforts to modernize confinement facilities in Japan during this era.

The main Roman-style gate has a curved entrance and a cylindrical tower on both sides. The former detention center is also equipped with the Haviland System, where a central guard house oversees cells divided into several blocks.

In its heyday, the prison houses 935 inmates, far exceeding its capacity of only 650 people, according to a website that records the prison trip.

This building was used as a juvenile prison after the end of World War II and closed in 2017 with age. Then, the building was designated as an important cultural wealth nationally in the same year.

It is known, because of the importance of prison history, there are plans to build a museum that can be accessed by daily visitors at the location where the hotel will be built.