Yosuke Kurosawa takes a tour of Nara Juvenile Prison, which was in use until 2017 and will soon be turned into hotels for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It’s like a really clean Shawshank Prison.
Right now, it’s only open to tourists one day a week, so it looks quite crowded and hot. Via Spoon & Tamago:
Moving beyond the façade, the prison is set up with five elongated buildings that radiate out of the center where guards can easily monitor all hallways. From the air it almost resembles an outstretched palm and fingers. Contrary to its elegant façade, the interior of Nara Juvenile Prison is cold and utilitarian. Small rooms are behind the heavily bolted doors and the hallways have openings throughout their center to assist the guards. It will be interesting to see how much is preserved and how these interiors will be translated into lodging.
Three separate hotels are being planned – one is even being managed by MUJI – with close to 300 rooms. It’s set to open sometime in 2020.
• Nara Prison Tour (YouTube / Yosuke Kurosawa)