TSUYAMA, Okayama Prefecture--Those wanting to live like a feudal lord will get their chance starting in November next year here, staying overnight in the castle town and enjoying a festive banquet.

The city government is planning to offer historical buildings near the Tsuyama Castle ruins as a “scattered hotel” for overnight stays.

“We want guests to feel the value and charms of history by not only preserving the buildings but also expanding their use to offer experiences and encourage exchanges,” Mayor Keizo Taniguchi said in announcing the project's outline on Sept. 3.

The municipality aims to encourage tourists to visit historical and cultural properties spread across the city to vitalize local areas.

The project is part of its plan to promote the entire city as a museum.

Tsuyama city, which had developed with Tsuyama Castle at its center, was spared from the destruction of World War II.

The city’s Joto and Josai districts are designated as Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the central government, retaining remnants of the landscape from bygone times.

But as some structures are falling into disrepair while maintenance costs are straining the municipality’s budget, city officials have been seeking ways to use and preserve the historical buildings.

Four structures will be used for the scattered hotel project, including Kakuzankan at the Tsuyama Castle ruins, which was part of the building for a school operated by the feudal Tsuyama Domain and was relocated to its current location; a guest house and the Yohokaku building at the Shurakuen garden attached to a villa for the domain lord's family; and the former residence of the Kajimura family in the Joto district.

City officials are seeking to offer these buildings for overnight stays, wining and dining and other experiences while protecting their value as cultural properties located at a government-designated historical site and elsewhere.

Some parts of the structures will be turned into guest rooms.

Kakuzankan will be equipped with a reception desk and a cafe, while the guest house will feature a dining space for guests to enjoy the serene ambience of the garden.

The officials plan to open the scattered hotel in November 2026.

The municipality is working with Value Management Co., an Osaka-based consulting firm, to raise part of the funds through a crowdfunding campaign utilizing the “furusato nozei” system, which allows people to pay a portion of their taxes to the municipality of their choice.

According to the plan, the city government will retain ownership of the buildings while they are operated by Value Management.

The officials are seeking to raise 360 million yen ($2.4 million) for the project through the fund-raising drive.

Donations are currently being accepted through Rakuten and other platforms, while the officials have high hopes for the hometown tax donation program for companies under which those operating outside Tsuyama can contribute to this particular project and receive tax deductions.

The officials are planning to offer rewards to those who contribute to the tax donation program after October, which include an experience of being the lord of Tsuyama Castle and an accommodation package with a five-hour guided tour of the city.

Jun Tarikino, president of Value Management, which has been working to offer overnight stays at castles and operate scattered hotels across the country, added, “We will promote the charms unique to Tsuyama at home and abroad, contribute to foster the feelings of local pride and revitalize the economy.”

The scattered hotel concept is aimed to use empty houses, old residences and historical buildings for accommodations while protecting their value as cultural properties.

The front desk, guest rooms, restaurants and other functions are dispersed in each building to turn the entire neighborhood into an accommodation facility.

The concept, which is said to have originated in Italy, has been implemented in Japan after the Hotel Business Law was revised in 2018.

Overnight guests can mingle with residents, learn about history and gain cultural experiences in local areas, helping to revitalize the communities.

The concept has come under the spotlight as a sustainable tourism model and has been introduced in many municipalities.