Since its opening in 1983, Imperial Hotel Plaza Tokyo has been a luxury shopping haven. Yet cityscapes change, consumer behaviour evolves, and the building is currently lying vacant while awaiting demolition before the reconstruction of the Imperial Hotel Tokyo tower.  While the demolition had initially been scheduled for 2024, the works have been postponed until 2031 due to rising costs.

Instead of leaving the building as is until then, the former commercial centre is now set to temporarily house a cultural centre known as Not a Museum. To make the project possible, hospitality brand Nota – known from initiatives such as Not a Hotel – and Tokyo creative collective SKWAT – which already runs SKWAT Kameari Art Centre – will be joining forces.

From the Summer of 2027 until 2031, the cultural space will be taking over the first, second, third, and fourth floors of the building. The two companies will be in charge of the entire project.

“Since 1983, Imperial Hotel Plaza Tokyo has been a source of cutting-edge fashion and culture. Not a Museum aims to keep on that storied legacy with a new project that highlights the best of contemporary Japanese culture. Art, music, books, cinema, and fashion: an experimental ground for the future where diverse forms of expression converge, allowing you to experience culture as it unfolds,” Not a Museum explains on its website.

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The core concept of Not a Museum will be ‘Culture in the making’, meaning the accent will be put on the process instead of the final product as would be the case in a normal museum. Nothing has been shared as of yet about the artists who will be participating in the project.

Not a Museum is the second project that is part of Not a City, part of the wider Nota brand. The aim of the company is to make the most of unused spaces in Tokyo, especially those which are awaiting deconstruction and are thus temporarily standing vacant.

Another Not a City project is Japa Valley Tokyo, a “visionary art, retail, and hospitality precinct” designed by Nota creative advisors producer Pharrell Williams and fashion designer Nigo. The project will be set on a plot of land left empty since the demolition of two buildings from the 1960s.

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“Inspired by California’s Napa Valley, Japa Valley Tokyo will be a new tourist hub that combines the best of Japanese food, fashion, and culture. The setting for the project is Yurakucho Park, which Mitsubishi Estate is currently developing in front of Yurakucho Station as a temporary space before it commences construction on a new major building complex,” Not a City explains.

Japa Valley Tokyo will be open for a limited period beginning in 2027, covering one hectare of ground and featuring artwork from KAWS, event spaces, and pop-up stores.

L’article Tokyo’s former Imperial Hotel Plaza set to become a cultural complex in 2027 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

As part of the expansion, Lufthansa will resume its seasonal direct service between Frankfurt and Nagoya from 29 March 2027. The route will operate three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, reconnecting the German hub with one of Japan’s major industrial and economic centres.

Flight LH736 will depart Frankfurt at 2:10 pm and arrive in Nagoya at 9:35 am the following day. The return service, LH737, will leave Nagoya at 11:30 am and arrive in Frankfurt at 6:30 pm local time. Nagoya, located in Aichi Prefecture, is a major centre for Japan’s automotive and manufacturing industries and also provides access to destinations including Kyoto.

Lufthansa is also strengthening its connections to Tokyo. From 28 March 2027, the airline will operate a daily seasonal service between Frankfurt and Tokyo-Narita. Flight LH710 will leave Frankfurt at 1:45 pm, arriving in Narita at 9:30 am the following day, while the return LH711 service will depart at 11:20 am and reach Frankfurt at 6:40 pm.

The new Narita connection will complement Lufthansa’s existing daily flights to Tokyo-Haneda from both Frankfurt and Munich. Both the Nagoya and new Tokyo-Narita routes will be operated using Boeing 787-9 aircraft featuring Lufthansa’s latest Allegris cabin configuration, with 28 Business Class seats, 28 Premium Economy seats and 231 Economy seats.

“Japan is a key market for the Lufthansa Group, and we are pleased to further strengthen our presence with additional capacity and the resumption of flights to Nagoya,” said Dieter Vranckx, Member of the Executive Board and Chief Commercial Officer of Lufthansa Group. “Together with our expanded Tokyo services, these investments provide our customers with more travel options and support the continued diversification of our intercontinental network.”

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SWISS will also increase its Japan capacity in summer 2027, offering up to seven weekly flights between Zurich and Tokyo-Narita. Overall, Lufthansa Group hub airlines Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, SWISS and ITA Airways will serve four Japanese destinations – Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita, Osaka and Nagoya – with up to 50 weekly flights.

The expansion represents a notable increase compared with current operations. According to AeroTime, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, SWISS and ITA Airways operated around 39 flights between Europe and Japan during the week from 28 September to 4 October 2026.

Passengers will also have additional connections through Lufthansa Group’s joint venture partner ANA, providing onward travel options within Japan and beyond. The new summer 2027 flights are already available for booking.

L’article Lufthansa Group expands Japan flights to 50 per week for summer 2027 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Since November 2025, tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have been palpable. At the time, Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi said that if a Chinese attack on self-governed Taiwan threatened Japan’s survival, the Japanese self-defence forces could be forced to take action. The statement has been considered a sharp break from Japan’s strategic ambiguity over Taiwan.

The consequences of those diplomatic tensions have been dramatic, not least for Japan’s tourism industry. In July 2026, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization showed that Japan’s post-COVID-19 tourism growth has experienced a drop in visitor numbers for the first time in six years. The drop was caused by a decline in Chinese visitor numbers. Following a Chinese government travel advisory late in 2025, urging its citizens to avoid Japan due to geopolitical tensions over the status of Taiwan, their arrivals fell by 56%. 

The trend was once again confirmed during the Golden Week, a Chinese national holiday marking the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and traditionally a very busy travel period. The Chinese authorities estimated that some 2.13 billion passenger trips would take place during the 2026 Golden Week holiday period. 

Moreover, this year, the festive week took place from 1 October until 7 October, with many people combining the Golden Week with the Mid-Autumn Festival that debuted on 25 September 2026 in order to obtain a 13-day vacation. 

While Japan has traditionally been one of the most popular destinations among Chinese travellers for a Golden Week holiday, this hasn’t been the case in 2026. According to Kyodo News and based on data collected by the Chinese travel agency Tuniu, Japan didn’t even figure in the top ten. Instead, Indonesia, Turkey, and South Korea are reportedly at the top of the most visited destinations this year.

This seems to be confirmed by data from Tongcheng Travel. In terms of the most popular cities for outbound travel among Chinese travellers during the Golden Week, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Seoul topped the list. Once again, not a single Japanese city was present in the top ten.

However, long-haul destinations scored remarkably well this year, which may be linked to the fact that many Chinese holidaymakers combined the Mid-Autumn Festival with the Golden Week holiday, allowing for more time to go abroad. According to the Chinese online travel booking platform Qunar, long-haul flights exceeding 2,000 kilometres rose by 48% compared to last year on the first day of the National Day holiday, while long-haul flights over 8,000 kilometres rose by over 30%. 

According to the state-owned Chinese media Global Times, the Golden Week holiday also saw an increase in arrivals from international visitors, citing a more diverse mix of visitors and a growing trend toward immersive cultural experiences. 

L’article Japan drops out of Chinese travellers’ top 10 Golden Week destinations est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Hitachi-no-kuni Long Trail traverses northern Ibaraki Prefecture, connecting satoyama and communities. It has been seven years in the making, since the project was launched in 2019 by Ibaraki Prefecture. The Hitachinokuni Trail Club, a volunteer organisation of about 1,000 members, played a central role in developing it, restoring old and abandoned paths and opening new ones alongside existing mountain trails, hiking and cycling routes.

“The route has turned out to be one that allows people to experience the beauty of Ibaraki to the fullest,” Ibaraki Governor Kazuhiko Oigawa said at the opening ceremony in Hitachiomiya on 19 September.

The trail already appears to have captured walkers’ imaginations. In a 2025 poll by the Japan Long Trail Association, it was voted the trail people most wanted to walk among the organisation’s 29 member routes.

Definitely more than “simply hiking towards a destination”, as the official site promises visitors, the trail crosses a vast range of attractions. It connects Kitaibaraki, Takahagi, Hitachi, Hitachiota, Hitachiomiya and Daigo, passing through lush forests and satoyama landscapes, those traditional rural areas shaped over generations by the coexistence of people and nature, where mountains and woodland sit alongside rice fields, meadows, ponds, and villages.

As the trail is not very elevated and not overly affected by snowfall, much of it is walkable all year round.

Some sections are, however, more difficult, such as the Central Area in the Yamizo mountain range, on the northern edge of Daigo. Those who do hike it will be rewarded with magnificent views of Fukuroda Falls, the rocky peaks of Okukuji Nantaiyama, and Ryujinkyo Gorge.

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The northeastern section offers peaks such as Eizomuro and Hanazono Yama but also stretches of coastline and beaches. It takes walkers through the region’s history on the ancient Salt Road and past the Edo-era Jukkokubori Canal.

In the southeastern area, open since 2024, the route begins in Hananuki Valley before climbing Mount Tsuchidake, past waterfalls and castle ruins, to reach the Kuji River.

Every section offers hikers another angle on Japan’s culture and history, and the communities that shaped them. Travellers can talk to locals, discover the region’s many faces, from space exploration to mythology and prayer, traditional crafts and fermentation culture, taste regional specialities, and revel in the surrounding nature.

The trail also highlights the difference between hiking and climbing. Whereas the end goal of climbing is to reach the top of a mountain, when hiking, the journey really is the goal.

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Hikers might even get to feel a little like characters in Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood, wandering for hours through mountains and woods with no great urgency about reaching anywhere in particular.

Long walks form an integral part of Japanese cultural and spiritual history and predate the modern enthusiasm for hiking as wellness tourism by centuries. From the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage network to the Shikoku pilgrimage, people have been walking such routes for more than 1,000 years.

There is obviously no obligation to undertake the entire 350 km in one go. The whole point is to take it slowly, each at their own pace, choosing whichever part best fits their interests and physical ability.

“Walking a long trail stimulates all five senses,” adventure racer and trail ambassador Yoki Tanaka said at the opening. “Even scenery that might pass unnoticed in everyday life can reveal something new when your perspective or pace changes.”

L’article Japan’s longest loop trail opens across 350 km of Ibaraki est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Animal cafés offer visitors the opportunity to spend time near animals or interact with them during their visit. Some house familiar pets, including cats and dogs, while others display wild species such as marmots, owls and otters. This means that businesses described as animal cafés can house very different animals with different needs. The nationwide survey will include cafés with domestic pets as well as those keeping exotic species. Its scope therefore extends beyond the wildlife attractions that have drawn particular concern from researchers.

The survey will examine the conditions in which animals are kept and how visitors interact with them. According to Environment Ministry official Takuya Ishikawa, Japan lacks specific standards governing these cafés and the handling of many exotic species. Ishikawa said animal welfare groups had regularly shared findings from their own research with the ministry. Experts on a government advisory panel had also repeatedly raised concerns about potential problems. The investigation will bring greater scrutiny to a sector where existing requirements do not specifically address all the animals visitors may encounter.

Research by WWF Japan and Hokkaido University provides an indication of the concerns surrounding wildlife cafés. Researchers visited 25 cafés near Tokyo in June and July 2025 and recorded 1,702 animals on display. These included 31 species classified as threatened with extinction, meaning they face a risk of disappearing from the wild. The findings were published in October 2025, separately from the government’s new nationwide survey. The presence of threatened species raised questions about both animal welfare and the trade supplying these businesses. These findings describe the cafés visited by the researchers and should not be treated as a complete picture of every animal café in Japan.

The research also highlighted a connection between visitor attractions and animal sales. Of about 80 registered wildlife cafés in Tokyo and Osaka, three-quarters were also registered to sell animals. This registration does not, by itself, show that a business is involved in illegal trading. However, it places these attractions within Japan’s wider market for live animals. A separate WWF report published in September 2026 found that Japan was the world’s second largest importer of both live reptiles and mammals by value in 2024. That report highlighted risks including released pets becoming invasive species, which can spread and harm local wildlife.

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Health and safety are another part of the government’s concerns. More than 90% of the cafés visited by researchers displayed animals considered at high risk of causing injury through contact. Samples from four cafés also tested positive for enterohaemorrhagic E. coli, known as EHEC, a type of bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhoea. The separate WWF report highlighted the spread of zoonotic diseases, which are infections that can pass between animals and people. These findings concern identified risks and samples, rather than establishing that every visitor becomes ill or suffers an injury. The government also plans a public awareness campaign, acknowledging that it has not done enough to explain the risks of interacting with exotic animals.

Some operators have welcomed the prospect of stronger oversight. “Japan is clearly lagging behind when it comes to (animal welfare) regulation,” said Syaina Nozaki, manager of Owl Otter Cafe in Kamakura, near Tokyo. Her café houses rescued animals, according to the report. Nozaki hopes regulation will help distinguish facilities such as hers from less responsible operators focused solely on profit. Her response shows that the discussion about future rules also involves businesses seeking clearer distinctions within the industry.

L’article Japan launches nationwide animal café survey over welfare and health concerns est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Although for some people, it may be hard to imagine there ever was a world without Pokémon, the popular franchise just turned 30. Ever since its launch, the Japanese company has been expanding in order to attract new fans – including Pokémon Go in 2016 and Pokémon Sleep in 2023.

In a new move to keep on reinventing itself and to keep fans dreaming – literally – while celebrating two anniversaries, the franchise recently joined forces with hotelier Not A Hotel to design a human-sized, Poké Ball-shaped hotel. 

“As society becomes increasingly convenient and efficient, Not A Hotel aims to bring more joy to individuals’ lives. For years, Pokémon fans have dreamed of stepping inside a Poké Ball. Not A Hotel, leveraging its architectural and technological expertise, has turned that dream into a reality. This structure transcends the boundaries of architecture and product design, fusing the world of Pokémon with the architectural quality that defines Not A Hotel,” said Not A Hotel in an interview with architecture magazine Dezeen.

Not A Hotel, a Japanese hospitality firm launched in 2020, creates one-of-a-kind vacation homes around the globe. Unique design and unique locations come together through their in-house team of Not A Hotel Architects and collaborations with designers such as NIGO and Snøhetta.

The remarkable Poké Ball structure fits perfectly within that philosophy. It is set on a lakeshore in Tomakomai City, located on the northernmost of Japan’s main islands, Hokkaido. The sphere measures just 3 metres in diameter and is made of moulded acrylic hemispheres, with a sliding door offering some privacy from the outdoor world.

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Inside, the circular theme continues. A round mattress sits in the middle of the Poké Ball while a curved acrylic window boosts lake views, while creating the illusion of a partly-opened ball. The tiny building also offers a washroom, which us decorated using tiles the colour of the very sleepy Pokémon character Snorlax.

Guests will also have the possibility to customise their stay and particularly the lighting by choosing their favourite Pokémon character on an iPad. However, in order to tie in with the sleep game app Pokémon Go, the experience also focuses on turning the room into a calming sleeping environment.

Although many Pokémon fans will undoubtedly be disappointed, the Poké Ball hotel will not open to the general public and can’t be visited. However, until 30 September 2026, Pokémon Sleep is running a social media competition on X which allows Japanese residents who have downloaded the Pokémon Sleep app to participate. Afterwards, ten couples will be selected and win a one-night stay in the Pokémon Ball room between 8 and 18 October, including meals. Transportation to and from the nearby New Chitose Airport as well as other personal costs are, however, not covered by the franchise. 

L’article Pokémon and Not A Hotel to open Poké Ball-shaped hotel in Japan est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The US autonomous driving company will partner with Japanese taxi operators GO and Nihon Kotsu to introduce the service, initially deploying a small fleet before gradually expanding to around 100 autonomous vehicles. The launch remains subject to regulatory approvals and further safety validation.

The planned service would be Japan’s first fully driverless taxi operation on public roads. Passengers will be able to book rides through both the GO and Waymo apps.

Under the partnership, Nihon Kotsu will be responsible for fleet operations, while GO will support integration with Japan’s taxi industry. Waymo will provide its autonomous driving system and continue safety testing ahead of the planned commercial rollout.

Waymo has been testing its technology in Tokyo since 2025, initially operating vehicles with Nihon Kotsu drivers behind the wheel. The trials have allowed the company to collect mapping data and adapt its autonomous driving system to the Japanese capital’s road conditions, including narrow streets, dense traffic and left-hand driving.

The company said the robotaxis would “complement Tokyo’s world-renowned transportation network, while helping Japan support an aging population and address future labor shortages.”

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Japan’s ageing population and shortage of professional drivers have increased interest in autonomous transport technology. However, regulatory hurdles remain. Current rules require a human driver to be present in vehicles operating on public roads, meaning Waymo will need to secure the necessary permits and licences before beginning fully autonomous commercial operations.

The Tokyo launch forms part of Waymo’s wider international expansion after rapidly growing its robotaxi operations in the United States. The company is also preparing autonomous services in European markets, including a planned launch in Munich in late 2027.

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Competition in Japan’s autonomous driving market is intensifying. US self-driving technology company Nuro has begun testing vehicles in Tokyo after partnering with Uber and Lucid. Nissan is also preparing a commercial robotaxi project in Tokyo for 2027, backed by British AI startup Wayve and Uber, although initial public trials will continue to use trained safety drivers.

If the necessary approvals are secured, the 2027 rollout will take Waymo into one of the world’s largest and most complex urban transport markets, extending its robotaxi ambitions beyond North America and into Asia for the first time.

L’article Waymo to launch Tokyo robotaxi service in 2027 as Asia expansion begins est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Shinjuku, one of 23 wards in the Japanese capital, is known for its bustling atmosphere, and thriving night-time economy. It boasts the world’s busiest railway station, as well as around 10% of Japan’s total private rental accommodation, but is developing a new reputation among its residents – for antisocial behaviour by tourists.

Visitors to the area are accused of littering, noise pollution, smoking, and even trespassing in a massive 1,300 complaints from residents in just the 12 months to March 2026, leading the local official with responsibility for holiday lets to tell AFP that the district was “planning to revise the current ordinance… to ban private lodging” near educational establishments and residences.

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The official drew a direct correlation between private short-term rentals and dissatisfaction among long-term inhabitants, saying: “As the number of private lodging businesses has risen, complaints and troubles around them have increased.”

In response to the surge in residents’ grievances, the new proposal to ban short-term rentals could affect up to 50% of the 3,775 private lodgings, or minpaku, registered in district by the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA).

Remaining short-term lets in residential areas will face calendar restrictions meaning they can only be rented out for 120 days per year, reducing the availability by a third in comparison to the current 180 nights allowed.

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The aim of the measure, which is likely to be approved by the mayor by February following a period of public consultation, is to promote a “tranquil living and educational environment” and limit behaviours that “hinder the maintenance of a permanent population and local community,” as per guidelines issued by the Japanese Tourist Agency in July 2026 that permit municipalities to regulate their own short-term rental market.

Despite the backlash, short-term rental giant Airbnb responded hopefully, telling the Guardian it takes local concerns seriously but believes “there is a version of this ordinance that protects residents’ quality of life without closing responsible, licensed hosts, and we want to help find it.”

Platforms such as Airbnb have made it easier for would-be landlords to rent out properties and have faced increasing criticism for their disruption of residential marketplaces around the world. Popular tourist destinations, notably in Spain have raised legal challenges and forced Airbnb to remove tens of thousands of non-compliant properties from its listings. Barcelona is heading for an outright ban on tourist flat rentals by 2029, while New York is insisting owners remain living in their property if they want to rent out a room for less than 30 days. 

Shinjuku’s approach comes amid wider overtourism concerns, including around Mount Fuji and in Kyoto, as Japan targets 60 million tourists by 2030 as part of an economic strategy to boost exports.

L’article Popular Tokyo district considers short-term rental restrictions amid resident complaints est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Contrary to most other wellness hotels, Pasona Natureverse Retreat isn’t primarily aimed at people wanting to wind down for the time of a weekend. Instead, it mainly concentrates on long-term stays centring around the Mibyo philosophy, which translates into the idea of a preventive wellness treatment. However, guests can also check in for a shorter stay, with a minimum of three nights per booking.

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“The Pasona embraces a philosophy of holistic wellbeing, from wellness treatments and nourishing menus to cultural and soul-stirring experiences. Immerse yourself in thalassotherapy, yoga, and meditation. Enjoy movement classes and feel muscle tension melt away. Or simply enjoy exploring this beautiful coastal region, followed by a long soak in your private onsen,” the hotel explains.

Natural design

The building was designed by architect Shigeru Ban, winner of the 2014 Pritzker Architecture Prize and the 2026 AIA Gold Medal, who has become world-famous for his projects using natural materials and cardboard. Previously, Ban drew the plans for Pasona Group’s Farmer’s Restaurant and Zenbo Seinei meditation retreat on Awaji. The Pasona Natureverse Retreat is thus his third creation in the area.

“Architect Shigeru Ban is the mastermind behind the hotel design, which uses natural and recycled materials to lessen The PASONA’s environmental footprint. That’s not the only way in which The PASONA is in perfect harmony with its surroundings, though. Natural light flows throughout interiors that blend European and Japanese style and let the beauty of organic materials shine. The scene is set for a retreat that will leave you feeling grounded in mind, body and spirit,” states Pasona Natureverse Retreat.

The Pasona Natureverse Retreat spreads out over five storeys and features 57 rooms. Thanks to the D-shaped design, all rooms are set along a skylit atrium.

However, not all rooms feature the same views. On the inland side of the building, characterised by vertical wooden cladding, rooms look out over the forest. The other half of the rooms look out over the sea instead, while the façade privileges horizontal lines and generous balconies.

“On the seaside, using the seawall as a podium, the facade is highly transparent, featuring four levels of emphasised horizontal slabs that create a seamless continuity between the interior, exterior, and the surrounding scenery. In contrast to the horizontal emphasis of the seaside, the mountain-side facade features a rhythmic arrangement of timber-clad columns that emphasise a symbolic, somewhat classical vertical structure. At the centre, a massive timber canopy and a grand staircase welcome visitors”, Shigeru Ban explains.

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Aside from a personalised wellness programme and private onsen or natural hot spring baths, the hotel features a dedicated aerial yoga room as well as an indoor saltwater swimming pool. On the culinary side, the Retreat offers five restaurants and multiple cafes.

The Pasona Natureverse Retreat can be booked online, with prices starting from approximately €2,300 per night for a double room.

L’article New Pasona Natureverse Retreat brings wellness to Japan’s Awaji Island est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The architects behind the redesign made a deliberate choice to keep as much of the original prison intact as possible. From the small barred windows and austere lines to the museum on the grounds, it is genuinely hard to forget where you are.

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It starts at the entrance, where the old guard posts still stand, overlooking five cellblocks fanning out from the central core like spokes. The long corridors that once held rows of prisoners’ cells are now hotel hallways.

Rooms are, naturally, former cells, but combined: nine, ten or eleven cells joined into a single suite. While knocking down the walls between them may have provided the space needed for a luxury hotel room, it has not entirely erased the building’s original purpose. The rooms remain long and narrow, and the corridors are unmistakably institutional.

Even guests who liked the hotel experienced that psychological dissonance. One described a “sense of tension” that made him “sit up straight” from the moment the heavy entrance gate opened, with traces of the former cells remaining in everything from the concrete walls to the position of the windows and height of the ceilings.

Another guest felt that rather than simply pursuing luxury, the hotel placed value on “the experience of history itself”. The century-old bricks, reportedly made and laid by inmates themselves, remain intact, allowing guests to “feel the weight of history so closely”.

The architects and designers behind the transformation wanted the building to retain its sombre historical character. Japan Times journalist Owen Ziegler described its atmosphere as “sterile” and “morose”, with 4.88-square-metre single cells containing little more than a washbasin and a small window.

In that spirit, there is no pool, fitness centre or meeting rooms and no “Kids’ Club”. The rooms do not have televisions either. One guest described it as a place “for adults to quietly savour the space and its history” and “not really suitable for children”.

One of the five wings has been preserved in its former state and transformed into a museum which is open to the public during the day. It is hard not to draw comparisons between a stay here and the lives of those who slept in the same building before. While hotel staff now make the beds, inmates were given precise instructions on how to fold their futons when not in use. The contrast extends to mealtimes: the museum displays prison meals, while the hotel’s own menu has received great praise online.

Manga artist Kazuichi Hanawa, who was imprisoned in Nara in the 1990s, chronicled his experience in Doing Time, which is now displayed in the museum’s final section devoted to artworks by inmates.

The luxury comes at a price. One guest described it as “by far the most expensive hotel” she had ever stayed in, but also “by far the most memorable”. Suites range in price from $350 for a nine-cell room to $610 for the 11-cell Deluxe, not including breakfast.

A placard in the museum perhaps best sums up the experience: “It may be us, on the outside, who have lost sight of what is truly irreplaceable and important in everyday life.”

L’article Japan’s new luxury prison hotel is open but keeps guests behind bars est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.