The Former Nara Prison stopped working a prison in March 2017 because the buildings were too old. Instead of being knocked down, the government decided to reopen it as a hotel in 2024. The hotel is to be called the Hoshino Resort, a major Japanese inn brand. The hotel was originally scheduled to open in 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic meant it had to be done later. Hoshino Resort, MUJI, and Solare Hotels and Resorts all plan to work on making the former prison into a hotel.