The concept is “A Hilltop Abundant with Nature,” and the grounds feature rice paddies, vegetable gardens, and walking paths, allowing guests to fully enjoy Japan’s traditional landscape. The guest rooms, designed in the Asuka style, are all single-story structures with tiled roofs. The spacious accommodations—comprising four types ranging from 70 to 350 square meters—consist entirely of suites, with all 35 rooms being suites. “Hoshinoya” is a brand that delivers extraordinary experiences under the concept of “a prime seat for that moment.”
Although the “Asuka and Fujiwara Capital Sites”—a group of archaeological sites in Nara Prefecture centered on the Asuka period—were only recently designated as a World Heritage Site in July, “Hoshinoya Asuka” is set to open there on July 22, 2027.
In addition, the company is making its debut in Saga Prefecture, with plans to open “Kai Ureshino” under its “Kai” hot spring inn brand in the summer of 2027. The property will feature a spa treatment facility called “Bihada-goya” at its center. It will be a hot spring inn specializing in waters known for their skin-beautifying properties.
As part of its new openings in 2027, the company will make its debut in Fukui Prefecture with “Risonare Fukui,” a resort hotel under the Risonare brand, set to open on September 10, 2027. Located within “Katsuyama Dinosaur Forest,” this “Designer Hotel in the Dinosaur Forest” will be built on the very site where fossils of a new species of dinosaur lie buried. The design architect is Klein Dytham Architecture, the firm behind “Tomamu The Tower by Hoshino Resorts.”
At the start of the presentation, a live video feed was established with “Kai Zao,” which had just opened on October 15, and stunning footage was broadcast from its rooftop terrace, designed with the crater lake “Ogama” as its motif.
Hoshino Resorts held the “Hoshino Resorts Online Press Conference: Fall 2026,” featuring presentations on new facilities set to open through 2027 and initiatives currently underway. CEO Yoshihiro Hoshino also took the stage to once again highlight the appeal of the recently opened Nara Prison Museum, explain the company’s proprietary accommodation reservation system “FleBOL,” and discuss trends in the tourism industry leading up to 2027.
“A portion of the 180 billion yen in additional revenue from the passenger tax increase should be allocated to domestic tourism,” said Representative Hoshino.
At the press conference, Yoshiharu Hoshino, CEO of Hoshino Resorts, began by once again highlighting the appeal of “Hoshinoya Nara Prison,” which had just opened on June 25, 2026, and the “Nara Prison Museum by Hoshino Resorts” located on the same grounds.
It is said that the primary reason for choosing the Nara Prison was the convergence of two coincidences—the fact that it was originally built as a prison on a vast site in central Nara City, and that the Meiji government at the time constructed an overwhelmingly magnificent building to showcase Japan’s national power to the world—which together endow the site with the overwhelming sense of the extraordinary that “Hoshinoya” holds so dear.
The opportunity to stay in a building designated in its entirety as an Important Cultural Property is rare even on a global scale. The report also noted that National Geographic selected “Hoshinoya Nara Prison” as one of the “20 Hotels to Visit in 2026,” highlighting it as a facility that is currently attracting attention worldwide.
Mr. Nobuya Kakegawa, General Manager of Hoshinoya Nara Prison, who also took the stage, said, “The Nara Prison Museum by Hoshino Resorts also opened on April 27 with the theme ‘What Is Freedom?,’ but its distinctive feature is that, while located on the same grounds as Hoshinoya Nara Prison, it offers a completely different world. Hoshinoya Nara Prison features a one-of-a-kind luxury space utilizing Meiji-era architecture.” In response, Mr. Hoshino, the company’s representative, remarked, “It’s similar to the feeling you get when touring castles in Europe. I believe the defining characteristic of this facility is that it evokes a very similar sensation. It is incredibly significant that we have transformed Meiji-era architecture into a luxury hotel.”
Next, he discussed industry trends. Regarding the increase in inbound visitors, he noted that while this reflects a recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend is slowing down when viewed over the long term. That said, the figure of 43 million visitors per year is quite substantial for a country where visitors arrive almost exclusively by air, and Japan has now entered the world’s top five in this regard. This slowing trend is not necessarily a bad thing; the 43 million figure is viewed as exceeding Japan’s true potential, and it was stated that this presents a good opportunity to align potential with reality and make efforts to bridge that gap.
He also mentioned that the proceeds from the increase in the passenger tax will be channeled into Japan’s tourism promotion budget going forward. It is reported that the government’s tourism-related budget for 2027 has suddenly ballooned to 180 billion yen, and discussions are currently underway regarding how to allocate those funds.
Representative Hoshino’s concern here is the use of tax funds; as things stand, the law limits their use to the promotion or development of inbound and outbound tourism. He expressed the opinion that it might be better to strike a better balance with domestic tourism. He noted that the majority of the Japan Tourism Agency’s general funding is also slated for inbound tourism-related initiatives, and he believes some of it should be redirected toward domestic tourism. He explained that domestic tourism by Japanese citizens is projected to reach 30 trillion yen, and that the current reality is that the majority of demand comes from Japanese travelers visiting domestic destinations.
In addition, there was an explanation of their proprietary lodging reservation system, “FleBOL.” The name is derived from “Flexible Booking Online,” and they reportedly have been putting considerable effort into its implementation for the past 10 years.
CEO Hoshino said, “I believe that enriching the pre-trip experience is crucial to determining the quality of future travel. Customers should be able to freely select, change, cancel, or postpone the experiences they want to try in advance using their smartphones. This is the world we are striving to create. Since this system is not outsourced but developed in-house by our team of about 60 engineers, we believe it offers robust security—an area of growing concern these days,” he said.
The rollout began as early as 2025, and as of now, guests can easily make changes to their room type, stay plan, dates, and number of guests right from their smartphones. They are currently working on enabling meal selections. For guests staying multiple nights, if the menu at the same restaurant repeats, they will be able to skip a meal on the second night or make a reservation at a different restaurant. They plan to roll out this feature between this year and 2027, with the goal of making it available at all facilities by 2027.
In addition, there was a presentation introducing a manga that explains the convenience of FleBOL in a way that’s easy for the general public to understand.
“There are still many things the travel industry hasn’t been able to achieve yet. For example, customers often have to call to change a reservation, or they have to cancel and rebook entirely. I believe FleBOL—our proprietary online reservation system that we’ve been developing for many years—will significantly transform the pre-trip experience going forward,” he said with anticipation.
Finally, President Hoshino touched on the topic of ski resorts—a subject he himself had been eager to present as the main focus of the announcement. President Hoshino said he aims to ski for 80 days a year, a goal he achieved again this year. Apparently, the new season has already begun as of July. He shared footage of himself enjoying heliskiing in New Zealand.
“Tomamu The Tower by Hoshino Resorts” features four large towers, and an Adventure Base will be unveiled in front of two of them. The unveiling ceremony will be held on December 1, with Hoshino, the company’s CEO, in attendance. “Until now, from the perspective of skiers who travel the world, the access from the rental and locker areas to the lifts—in terms of space, functionality, and the elevation difference between the building exit and the lifts—has been a source of frustration. This will be a wonderful facility that significantly improves that situation,” he said, explaining the improvements from a skier’s perspective.
We are also pleased to announce that “Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain” and “Mt. T by Hoshino Resorts (formerly Tanigawadake Tenjindaira)” have been added to the “Ikon Pass,” a globally accepted season lift pass originating in the United States. Zao Onsen Ski Resort has also joined the Ikon Pass network. “Kai Zao” is located just a 40-second walk from the lifts there, and the resort aims to encourage guests to enjoy skiing across multiple locations by coordinating with the Bandai area—home to Hoshino Resorts Nekomama Mountain, which is about a 2-hour drive away—allowing visitors to explore the region and enjoy skiing at various destinations.
© Source travel watch