HOSHINOYA Nara Prison: A Meiji Prison Turned Hotel

Explera DMC Japan books HOSHINOYA Nara Prison, a luxury hotel inside the former Nara Prison, for clients who want a stay with history. Hoshino Resorts opened the 48-room hotel on 25 June 2026, two months after the Nara Prison Museum opened on the same site to day visitors. The prison building is an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

The former Nara Prison is the only one of the five great prisons built by the Meiji government that survives intact. It was completed in 1908 and closed as a prison in 2017.

What is at the former Nara Prison now?

• The hotel. 48 suites, each made by joining former cells into one room.
• The museum. The Nara Prison Museum by Hoshino Resorts opened on 27 April 2026. It tells the history of the prison and of Japan's justice system.
• Museum hours. 9:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:00.
• For hotel guests. A private path links the hotel to the museum, and guests can visit the museum free of charge during its opening hours.

How do we plan a Nara stay around it?

• One night in Nara. Most clients see Nara on a day trip. A night here lets them see the temples and the deer park early and late, when it is quieter.
• Museum for groups. Larger groups who are not staying can visit the museum as day visitors, and we confirm entry times in advance.
• Brief the clients. The setting is a real former prison, so we explain the history before guests arrive.
• Book early. With 48 rooms, dates fill fast, so we request rooms once the trip is fixed.

See our guides to Nara day trips, the Kansai region and luxury travel in Japan.

Sources: Hoshino Resorts: HOSHINOYA Nara Prison opens and Nara Prison Museum by Hoshino Resorts.