Arab News Japan

Historical site, Nara Prison, which was constructed in 1908, will be renovated and transformed into a luxury hotel scheduled to open in 2024, inviting guests to stay in one of their 48 rooms.

The prison was built to “represent the modernization of confinement facilities in Japan. The prison, having played its role as the oldest prison in this country for more than one hundred years, was designated as a cultural asset, and it is now underway to a newborn hotel,” the official website states.

The prison was mainly constructed by prisoners, and was designed by Keijiro Yamashita, resulting in a historic red brick structure that is celebrated today as one of the ‘Meiji Five Great Prisons,’ according to the official website.

The “Romanesque-style gate has an arched entrance and a cylindrical tower on either side. Each of the two cylindrical towers has a distinct dome-shaped roof,” the website shares, emphasizing how the iron bars on the windows have been preserved since their installation.

Other elements of the building include the tooth-shaped elements called Lombard bands, as well as the circular windows with ganite ornaments.

The website also explains the various structures and their purpose, including the watch-house. At the center of the “five two-storied radially extending wards is a big hall with a watchhouse attached to it. From this watchhouse situated on the second floor, the guards can look and see how things are going not only on the second floor, but also on the first floor, which has see-through roofs.”

The materials and architectural designs of the confinement wards, living spaces, and playground are also outlined on the website.

The prison is located near various sights including the Todaiji Temple, Nara Women’s University, Tegaimon Gate, Mt. Wakakusa, making this an ideal tourist hotspot.

Aside from guests staying at the historic sites, they can also explore the communal areas that were once guard quarters or even venture to the on-site museum.