Nara Prison Museum by Hoshino Resorts

The "Nara Prison Museum by Hoshino Resorts" opened in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, as part of a project to preserve and utilize the important cultural property, the "Former Nara Prison." Its concept is "Questions from a Beautiful Prison." Hoshino Resorts, together with world-renowned creators, explores the history of Japanese penal practices and the society of prisons through the unique space of a prison, offering a new experience that prompts visitors to consider fundamental themes such as "What is freedom?" and to reflect on their own worldview.
The museum consists of a "preservation area" that retains the original state of the prison, including the third dormitory and the guardhouse, and an "exhibition area." The exhibition area is comprised of Building A, which introduces the history of Nara Prison along with the Japanese administrative system in eight exhibition rooms; Building B, which introduces life in the unique society of prison through seven themes: "discipline," "food," "hygiene," "work," "rehabilitation," "money," and "freedom"; Building C, which displays works by five artists and prison art created by inmates under universal themes such as "crime and punishment" and "time and life"; and Building D, which houses a cafe and shop.
Our company was responsible for the spatial design and planning of the museum, working in collaboration with various creators and writers to create a space that integrated exhibition information with the spatial experience. We also handled the design and production of exhibition content, including the development of explanatory plans, various reproduction models and sculptures, and the production of videos that convey aspects of prison work.