You meet this word the day a parent stops managing alone. It covers everything from a daily helper to a nursing home, all funded through one public system you have to be certified into first. The common mistake from abroad is treating it as a private problem to solve with hired hands; almost everything routes through the municipality. Start by learning who certifies and who coordinates.
Read more: How the care system works
Related terms
- 介護保険（kaigo hoken）— long-term care insurance
- 要介護認定（youkaigo nintei）— care-need certification
- 地域包括支援センター（chiiki houkatsu shien center）— community support center
Getting help with this
See the full Japanese elder care glossary, or start with our long-term care insurance guide. If you would rather have someone handle the Japanese side, our care navigation service helps foreign families step by step, and you can contact us with your situation. Definitions are general orientation; rules vary by municipality (see our editorial policy).