NARA, Sep 26 (News On Japan) –
Hoshino Resorts introduced on September twenty fifth that it’s going to open the Nara Prison Museum in April subsequent 12 months, reworking the previous Nara Prison, as soon as used as a juvenile correctional facility, right into a mixed lodge and museum.
The museum’s theme, described as “Questions from a Beautiful Prison,” will function exhibitions that recreate jail life, together with visits to solitary confinement cells. The iconic red-brick construction, constructed within the Meiji period as one among Japan’s 5 main prisons, has been designated an Important Cultural Property. After its closure in 2017, 4 of the jail’s radiating wings are being transformed right into a lodge, whereas one wing shall be preserved because the museum.
Nara Prefecture sees the undertaking as a possible treatment for long-standing tourism challenges. According to the prefecture’s tourism technique division chief Katsunori Tsuji, native tourism is usually characterised as “cheap, shallow, and narrow.” In fiscal 2023, per-visitor spending averaged solely about 6,000 yen, far beneath the nationwide common of 9,931 yen. Fewer than 10% of tourists keep in a single day, limiting each size of keep and spending. Most vacationers stay round Nara Park, leading to a slender focus of exercise.
The redevelopment of the previous jail, situated on the northern fringe of the “Kitamachi” district close to Nara Park, is predicted to diversify customer flows and encourage longer stays. “Nara has historic buildings across the prefecture,” mentioned Tsuji. “By opening the Nara Prison site, we hope to also highlight other hidden assets.”
The lodge, to be branded as “Hoshinoya Nara Prison,” will provide 48 luxurious rooms, making it Japan’s first lodge tailored from an Important Cultural Property. Alongside the museum, it’s positioned as a flagship undertaking for elevating customer spending.
Nara goals to shift from “cheap, shallow, narrow” to “high, deep, wide” tourism. Prefecture officers level to Osaka’s latest surge in luxurious motels constructed forward of Expo 2025 for instance, and hope the jail redevelopment may have the same affect.
Nara’s tourism potential is underscored by survey information displaying Nara Park as the highest vacation spot for Expo guests, forward of Universal Studios Japan and Osaka Castle. The prefecture additionally ranks seventh nationwide in inbound vacationer numbers.
Prefectural officers emphasize Nara’s distinctive energy in providing early-morning experiences, resembling attending temple companies at Hasedera, guided excursions of predominant halls, and conventional breakfast dishes like tea porridge. Lacking the nightlife points of interest of Osaka or Kyoto, Nara is positioning itself round these distinctive “morning experiences” to extend in a single day stays and lift financial affect.
With the opening of the museum and lodge subsequent spring, the previous Nara Prison is poised to grow to be each a cultural landmark and a possible savior of the prefecture’s tourism technique.
Source: YOMIURI