Nara Prison Museum by Hoshino Resorts

Opening in 2026, this striking Meiji-era red-brick prison is being transformed by Hoshino Resorts into a luxury hotel and museum. Designed in 1908 by Keiji Yamashita, the facility features a fascinating radial 'Haviland' design where five wings fan out from a central guard tower. Visitors can explore the preserved, austere cellblocks to understand Japan's early modern penal system and architectural modernization.

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