Awaji Island tourism shifts as ONOKORO prepares for closure and new hotels announced

Awaji World Park ONOKORO is scheduled to close on November 30, 2026, due to aging facilities and difficulties in securing renovation funds. Hyogo Prefecture has launched a sounding-type market research survey to explore the future use of the approximately 11.7-hectare site, including potential asset acquisition by private entities.

In a separate development for the island's tourism sector, the Hotel New Awaji Group announced the upcoming opening of two new properties in late January 2027. The Komoe Kaigan Hotel, located on the east coast, will feature 25 rooms with private pools and expected nightly rates around 300,000 yen. The Keino Matsubara Hotel, situated on the west coast, will offer 36 rooms with an all-inclusive model and average rates of approximately 90,000 yen per room.