Owner of abandoned hotel on Lake Towada sued by government
The Japanese government has sued the owner of a derelict hotel in Aomori Prefecture to demolish the building and return the state-owned land. The Towada Kanko Hotel sits on the shores of Lake Towada. It was founded in 1950 before closing in 2012. The owner filed for bankruptcy in 2014.
Castle in Nagasaki to be converted into hotel
Hirado City in Nagasaki Prefecture is looking for someone to open a small hotel within Hirado Castle’s turret. According to the Japan Castle Foundation, this would be the first accommodation to be created in a castle in Japan.
Abandoned hotel in Okinawa to finally be demolished
Demolition has started on an abandoned hotel and local eyesore adjacent to Okinawa’s Nakagusuku Castle that has been sitting idle for almost five decades. In a rare move for privately-owned property, the prefecture has taken charge of demolition due to the need for a careful investigation for any historic artifacts and to avoid harm to protected wildlife. Demolition is expected to be completed by March 2020, after which the land will be converted back to parkland.
Redevelopment details for Meiji Jingu Stadium district
Details have come out for the large-scale future redevelopment of the Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium and Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium district in central Tokyo. The 17.4-hectare site straddles Minato and Shinjuku wards and adjoins the new Olympic Stadium.
Brutalist church in Kyoto to be demolished
The former Karasuma Church in Kyoto is facing imminent demolition. The 5-story concrete building is a local landmark for its unusual design.
Luxury villas planned for Miura waterfront
A waterfront district down in Kanagawa’s Miura Peninsula is being pushed as a potential luxury resort targeting wealthy foreigners. A current development proposal includes villas and high-end condominiums that could include their own berths for mega-yachts along with 20-minute access by helicopter from Tokyo. The villas could range in size from 340 ~ 1,120 sqm (3,658 ~ 12,000 sq.ft).