“Marine Palace Mito Branch,” with its castle-like exterior, was a large soapland boasting one of the largest numbers of rooms in Japan. A former abandoned building was lavishly renovated into a luxury hotel-style space at a cost of 1 billion yen, with interiors said to be extravagantly ornate, comparable to a national treasure. The photo shows the property back when it was called “Marine Blue Mito Branch” (2024).