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Hotel · Nara, Japan
HOSHINOYA Nara Prison
A former prison in Nara City, its cells joined into 48 guest rooms, opening on 25 June 2026 with its own museum on site.
Overview
HOSHINOYA Nara Prison occupies a former prison building in Nara City, set to open on June 25, 2026. The property keeps the structure's high ceilings and red brick walls, pairing them with contemporary design. Its 48 rooms are each formed by joining several of the original cells, a detail that shapes the scale and layout of every stay. Room occupancy runs to one or two guests.
The dining programme is built around the history of Western cuisine in Japan. The dinner course, Gastronomy Chronicle, traces its reinterpretation since the 19th century, with a vegetarian option available. Meiji-style and Western breakfasts draw on the same period, alongside a Japanese breakfast built on soy milk hot pot, a wagyu shabu-shabu dinner, a seasonal Japanese set meal and an à la carte list. In-room dining is offered for lighter meals, and a café inside the on-site Nara Prison Museum serves refreshments such as curry bread and cheesecake.
The hotel stands within reach of Nara's principal sights: Kohfukuji Temple and its five-story pagoda, Tōdai-ji Temple and its Great Buddha, Nara Park, Mount Wakakusa, the Nara Palace Site and the machiya streets of Naramachi. On site, guests have access to a restaurant, a café and lounge, a spa, a pool, an onsen and a public bath, plus a playroom and a meeting room. Check-in is from 3:00 PM and check-out by 12:00 PM, with free outdoor parking and free Wi-Fi in all rooms and some public areas. Pets are not allowed and there is no shuttle or EV charging.
- Rooms
- 48
- Minimum stay
- 1 night
- Check in
- 15:00
- Check out
- 12:00
Why we like it
- Housed in a former prison building, opening on June 25, 2026
- 48 rooms, each formed by combining multiple original cells, with high ceilings and red brick walls
- An on-site Nara Prison Museum sits within the grounds, with its own café
- Within reach of Kohfukuji Temple, Nara Park, Tōdai-ji Temple and the Nara Palace Site
- Dinner course Gastronomy Chronicle traces the history of Western cuisine in Japan since the 19th century
Gallery
Amenities
- Restaurant
- Café / Lounge
- Spa / Massage
- Playroom
- Pool
- Onsen
- Public bath
- Meeting Room
- Free outdoor parking
- Free Wi-Fi
Reserving through us
Included when your travel advisor confirms this stay
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Property credit or equivalent where the house offers one
- Early check in and late check out on request
- Welcome amenity and your travel agent known to the general manager
Eligible preferred amenities are applied wherever available, subject to the property at the time of stay, and are confirmed in your proposal.
Location
Nara, Japan
Seventeen World Heritage sites, kaiseki dinners and ryokans that take only a handful of guests a night.
Questions
- When does HOSHINOYA Nara Prison open?
- The hotel is set to open on June 25, 2026, in Nara City.
- What was the building before it became a hotel?
- It is a former prison. The rooms are each created by combining multiple original cells, and the building keeps its high ceilings and red brick walls, now paired with contemporary design.
- What are the check-in and check-out times?
- Check-in is from 3:00 PM and check-out is by 12:00 PM.
- Is parking available, and are pets allowed?
- Free outdoor parking is available, but there is no EV charging and no shuttle service. Pets are not allowed.
- What dining options are there?
- The hotel offers a dinner course called Gastronomy Chronicle, a Meiji-style breakfast, a wagyu shabu-shabu set meal, a seasonal Japanese set meal, an à la carte menu, Japanese and Western breakfasts, in-room dining, and a café inside the on-site Nara Prison Museum.
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