Muji hostel to open in Nara in former juvenile prison
https://soranews24.com/2017/06/06/st...japan-in-2020/
Muji will be setting up their Muji Hostel brand on the premises, offering approximately 60 beds in brand new buildings with simple dormitory-type accommodation.
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Inside the actual prison will be the hotel run by Solare, who’s giving their new accommodation facility the tentative title of “Soramitsu Nara“. The hotel will retain one wing of the prison for preservation purposes, while renovating the four other wings, offering about 150 rooms in total. These rooms will retain the same prison-cell construction, while upgrading the ambience with modern lighting and furnishings for a much more comfortable and luxurious stay.
This is an old press release. Is this still on track? Oddly one of the few cases where I'd probably prefer a new hostel over a re-done hotel room. Not sure how creative one can get with the same prison cell construction though arguably, 13 sq m hotel rooms aren't that much different than a well outfitted concrete box + unit bath plumbing.