June 2026 saw Hoshino Resorts open its latest and most unique addition to its ultra-luxury HOSHINOYA brand portfolio. Daring to push norms and boundaries, HOSHINOYA Nara Prison is set within the historic walls of a heritage-listed Meiji-era jail.
The last remaining of the Five Great Prisons of Meiji, the Former Nara Prison in Nara City (Nara Pref.), has been completely redesigned from within, while preserving important aesthetics and history of this government-designated Important Cultural Property.
Former Nara Prison’s high redbrick walls now contain opulent suites, elegant dining rooms, chic lounges, and an abundance of comfort, natural light and creative, integrated design.
Behind the Bars – HOSHINOYA Nara Prison’s masterpiece of cultural regeneration
Cleverly reinterpreting the anatomy of the Former Nara Prison, HOSHINOYA’s latest luxury heritage hotel paints a picture of what this 118-year-old edifice was once like while offering the highest levels of hospitality at the same time.
Cells have become suites, the central guardhouse a lounge, the infirmary a museum gallery, and the former exercise grounds spaces for reflection and guest experiences.
Even the original intake desk is now the check-in, reception and concierge area. Arriving guests pass through the same prison gates that new inmates would have faced back in the day.
Cells into Suites
The 48 all-suite rooms at HOSHINOYA Nara Prison are made up of nine, 10, or 11 interconnected prison cells. The spacious 11-cell Deluxe Suite boasts a generous dressing lounge and expansive living space, and throughout the rooms, original architectural features have been carefully preserved and highlighted.
Despite their former life as jail cells, the suites are blessed with vaulted ceilings and natural light. Brickwork, hand-laid by the prison’s first inmates, has been exposed beneath century-old plaster, while the ceiling moldings retain their original design, visually expressing over a century of layered history.
Exquisitely curated amenities like comfortable room wear, a selection of books chosen to encourage reflection, music designed to promote relaxation, soothing custom fragrances, and carefully selected wines and local sake add a harmonious level of detail to guests’ experience.
Assembly Room into Central Lounge
At the heart of HOSHINOYA Nara Prison is the hotel’s main lounge. Once the prison’s central gathering point for ceremonies, lectures and meetings, this open atrium space is now an epicentre of luxury, style and tranquillity.
Large-scale artwork and European furnishings create a refined and welcoming atmosphere, while dark timber beams cross the lofted ceiling, framing views down the five cellblock wings radiating outward from this central point of the hotel.
Seasonal drinks and sweets are served throughout the day, complemented by a curated selection of travel and architecture books, creating an inviting setting for quiet reflection and relaxation.
Solitary Confinement to Private Fine-Dining
In a separate building, once the prison’s solitary confinement cells, the dining room and its high windows framing the night sky treat hotel guests to an unhurried, private gastronomic experience.
In this intimate restaurant space, the dinner service is a four-course culinary journey that blends Japanese and French cooking styles and ingredients. Named the ‘Gastronomy Chronicle’, each course plots the progress of Japan through its famous Restoration Period.
Dinner begins with ‘Early Development’, a dish featuring Japanese-European fusion cuisine known as yōshoku, which was popular in the Meiji Era when the prison was being built. This period was also when Japan as a nation opened to the world and began infusing its culture with outside influences.
The meal continues with ‘Maturity’ and ‘Modern Day’, finishing with dessert, aptly named ‘Future’, showing the subtle humour that’s interwoven into the service.
Breakfast is also served in this building, and it comes as a few options, not least the signature offering: the Civilisational Modernisation Breakfast. Based on the food and flavours brought from the West during the Meiji period, diners will find delights such as scotch egg, Japanese-style fried king prawns and ‘kani cream korokke‘ – crab cream croquettes.
Guests can also choose traditional Japanese or Western options, or a light continental breakfast to take away.
| Breakfast Options | Price & Details |
| Civilisational Modernisation Breakfast | JPY 6,380 |
| Japanese or Western Breakfast | JPY 4,800 |
| Light Breakfast Items | A la carte (e.g., mini croissant JPY 250) |
| Hours & Conditions | 7:00–9:30 (Exclusive to hotel guests; reservation required) |
Cultural and Sensory Experiences at HOSHINOYA Nara Prison
Beyond the rooms, lounges and dining options, HOSHINOYA Nara Prison has a range of curated, regionally inspired cultural activities that bring the history of this unique space into focus.
The complimentary Akane Tea Salon, paired with sweets and served in Meiji-era-inspired tea sets, allows guests to experience locally-grown Wakōcha black tea in a traditional setting.
Evenings at HOSHINOYA Nara Prison see the Gramophone Soiree. This complimentary 90-minute adults-only (20yo+) experience is dedicated to the nostalgia and ceremony of music from a vintage gramophone, accompanied by fine spirits, cocktails, wine and Champagne (available for purchase).
The Evening Fragrance Blending experience (¥12,100) gives guests the opportunity to make their own fragrance, part of the perfume culture that the Meiji Era brought to Japan. Participants receive a gift box of their fragrance in a terracotta diffuser.
Guests can start their day with a complimentary fitness session using custom dumbbells crafted from local Yoshino cedar wood, and guided deep breathing and stretching that draws on a Meiji-Era concept of ‘physical culture’.
More Than A Hotel, HOSHINOYA Nara Prison Is A Living Museum
Opening in April 2026, the Nara Prison Museum brings to life an abundance of history caught within the walls of Former Nara Prison, an icon of Japan’s modernisation and reformation in the Meiji Period.
Three parts of the former prison have been dedicated to the museum.
While four of the five cellblock wings that radiate from the preserved central guardroom are now hotel suites, one wing has been left unrenovated to reflect the life of its original ‘guests’.
To further encourage reflection of the concept of freedom and also to illustrate the Meiji Era’s perspective on incarceration, the next building focuses on five tenets of criminal rehabilitation: Discipline, Meals, Hygiene, Labour, Rehabilitation, Money and Freedom.
The third building — the former infirmary — is a gallery displaying works of art by artists and former inmates centred on universal themes like ‘Crime and Punishment’ and ‘Time and Life’, encouraging visitors to challenge their own sensibilities and refresh their perspectives on everyday life.
General admission adult tickets are ¥3,500 (~AUD$30) along with other concession ticket prices. Guests at HOSHINOYA Nara Prison hotel have complimentary access to the museum during their stay.
Hoshino Resorts‘ 2026 Brand Growth
The opening of HOSHINOYA Nara Prison comes amid a period of continued growth for Hoshino Resorts. In 2026 alone, the company will expand its portfolio with several notable openings, including KAI Kusatsu in Gunma Prefecture, KAI Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture and KAI Zao in Yamagata Prefecture, further strengthening its collection of hot spring ryokan experiences across Japan. Looking ahead, the company is also preparing to open HOSHINOYA Asuka in Nara Prefecture in 2027. These developments reflect Hoshino Resorts’ ongoing commitment to creating distinctive hospitality experiences that celebrate the culture, history and natural character of each destination.
Facility Overview
Facility Name: HOSHINOYA Nara Prison
Location: 18 Hannyaji-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture
Price: From ￥147,000 per night (per room, includes tax and service charge, meals excluded)
Phone: 050-3134-8091 (HOSHINOYA central reservations)
Number of Rooms: 48 suites
Check-in: 15:00 / Check-out: 12:00
Access: 10 minutes by car from JR Nara Station, 6 minutes by car from Kintetsu Nara Station
Opening Date: June 25, 2026
