日本初の監獄ホテル「星のや奈良監獄」に宿泊！美しすぎる元刑務所の内部が凄すぎた

The former Nara Prison was actually used as the Nara Juvenile Prison until 2017. Built in the Meiji era as one of the "Five Great Meiji Prisons," this building with over 100 years of history reopened on June 25, 2026 as a luxury hotel by Hoshino Resorts, called "HOSHINOYA Nara Prison." The former cell block, which once held 500 solitary cells, has been renovated into just 48 suite rooms. While preserving original brick structures and vaulted ceilings from the era, the rooms deliberately omit TVs and clocks to create a sense of stepping outside everyday time. On the same grounds sits the "Nara Prison Museum," which opened on April 27, 2026. Here, the architecture itself is the main exhibit — visitors can see the radial-layout central watchtower, cells preserved exactly as they were, an underground bathhouse, and even an Edo-period wooden holding cell called "Gisukan." While the museum normally requires advance reservations, hotel guests can enter anytime without booking. Dinner was served in a semi-private dining room converted from the former visitation room, where I had the "Gastronomy Chronicle" course (¥22,000). This menu traces the history of Western cuisine in Japan from its early days to the future, featuring dishes like foie gras terrine, seafood aspic, poached sole (an homage to a dish by the late Chef Akira Inoue of "Chez Inno," a pioneer of French cuisine in Japan), and beef tenderloin with truffle marinated in sake lees from Nara-zuke pickles, wrapped in a salt crust. Breakfast was also served in the lounge, starting with grated Nara heirloom vegetable "Yamato-na," followed by a Western-style spread inspired by the fried food craze of the Meiji era — Scotch eggs, ebi fry, and crab cream croquettes — alongside a Japanese-style breakfast of soy milk hot pot, grilled salmon, and side dishes, blending both traditions beautifully. For reference, this 2-night stay for two people came to a total of ¥164,656. It's hands-down the most expensive hotel I've ever stayed at — but absolutely worth it. This video covers everything from check-in and the room tour, to the museum (open exclusively to guests even at night), dinner and breakfast, and the evening lounge "Soirée of Echoes" — a full 2-night, 3-day stay experience. Enjoy both the historical charm of this landmark building and the luxury of a world-class hotel stay. Thanks for watching until the end! *Locations featured:* HOSHINOYA Nara Prison (Luxury Hotel) Nara Prison Museum (Historical Exhibition Facility) *Chapters:* 0:00 Opening 0:29 From JR Nara Station to the Hotel 1:21 History of Nara Prison 2:22 Check-in 3:03 The Old Central Watchtower 4:15 Room Tour (Room 215) 6:34 Room Amenities 9:56 Guest-Only Facility Tour 10:28 History of the Five Great Meiji Prisons 13:14 Main Lounge & Afternoon Tea 17:31 On-Site Shop 19:28 Corridors & Former Detention Block 21:20 Dinner: "Gastronomy Chronicle" 28:36 Evening Lounge "Soirée of Echoes" 30:07 Night-Only Museum Access for Guests 33:08 Bath & Bedtime 34:42 Breakfast 37:37 Nara Prison Museum Tour 44:26 Café & Souvenirs 47:25 Check-out #HOSHINOYA #NaraPrison #PrisonHotel #JapanTravel #HoshinoResorts