What kind of property can host small-scale multifunctional home care? Overnight rooms, registered capacity and use zones

In short: small-scale multifunctional home care (shotaki) cannot be run in just any property. Four things narrow the field. First, whether overnight rooms can be secured — enough rooms of single occupancy and 7.43 m² or more. Second, whether the building's size can meet the scale: registered capacity of 29 or fewer, commuting up to 18 a day, overnight up to 9 a day. Third, whether that use zone and building classification allow the use — it cannot go in an exclusive industrial zone, and because it has an overnight function the use classification must be checked. Fourth, whether the fire equipment (sprinklers, automatic fire alarm) that the overnight function calls for can be installed. Unlike an ordinary care office, the "overnight" makes the property conditions a notch stricter. Much of this can be narrowed from the documents before any viewing.

"I want to use a vacant house or a small tenancy in a residential area for small-scale multifunctional care" — the first thing to check in that conversation is these four points. This article is for owners and care operators considering converting a property to small-scale multifunctional home care (one of the community-based services) in Tokyo, seen from the standpoint of a real estate transaction. The designation application under the Long-Term Care Insurance Act is handled by an administrative scrivener; the building confirmation and change-of-use design by architects and designated confirmation and inspection bodies; fire-equipment design and installation by fire-protection engineers; the labour side of staffing and work rules by a labour and social security attorney. We handle only the property investigation and the transaction, as an independent business entity you engage separately. Reading the use zones for care offices generally is set out in how to read use zones for a care office; this article narrows to the "overnight" property conditions specific to shotaki.

Why does a small-scale multifunctional home-care property need an overnight room?

Because it is a service that centres on "commuting" and combines "visiting" and "overnight stay" as needed. That "overnight" is the decisive difference from day-service offices when choosing a property.

Small-scale multifunctional home care is defined in Article 8, paragraph 19 of the Long-Term Care Insurance Act (Act No. 123 of 1997): centring on "commuting" to the office, combined with short "overnight stays" and "visits" to the user's home, providing bathing, toileting, meals and other daily-living care and functional training according to the user's condition and wishes. It is one of the "community-based services" in Article 8, paragraph 14, used in principle by residents of the municipality where the office is located, and it is the mayor — not the prefectural governor — who grants the designation (Article 78-2, paragraph 1).

Seen from the property side, on top of the living room, dining room and kitchen for "commuting", an overnight room is needed for "overnight stay" — and that is what differs from day care. Article 67 of the Ministerial Ordinance on Standards for Personnel, Facilities and Operation of Designated Community-Based Services (Ministerial Ordinance No. 34 of 2006) requires the office to have a living room, dining room, kitchen, overnight room, bathroom, fire-extinguishing equipment and other equipment needed in a disaster. Whether such an overnight room exists is the first gate in choosing a property.

How do registered capacity and commuting/overnight capacity bear on the building's size?

The number of overnight rooms and the size of the living/dining room cap how many people can be accepted. First, fix the capacity framework.

Article 66 of the same standard sets the registered capacity (the cap on the number of registered users) of a designated small-scale multifunctional home-care office at 29 or fewer (18 or fewer for a satellite type). On that basis, it sets the daily commuting and overnight capacity within the following ranges.

Category	Daily user capacity	Basis
Registered capacity	29 or fewer (satellite type 18 or fewer)	Ministerial Ordinance No. 34 of 2006, Art. 66
Commuting service	Half of registered capacity up to 15; up to 16 at registered 26-27, 17 at 28, 18 at 29	Same, Art. 66
Overnight service	One-third of the commuting capacity up to 9	Same, Art. 66

For the overnight room, Article 67 sets occupancy at one person (two is allowed where needed for the user's care) and floor area at 7.43 m² or more. The living and dining room is "of a suitable size to fully perform its function" — judged not by a fixed number but by "can the commuting users spend time there".

Read back into the property — to accept up to 9 overnight, you need enough space to secure nine overnight rooms of 7.43 m² or more each (assuming no shared rooms). In a second-hand house or tenancy, whether the layout can be renovated to this number of overnight rooms and the size of the living/dining room caps how many people can be accepted.

How far can a house or tenancy in a residential area be used under the use zone and Building Standards Act?

Because it has an overnight function, the use classification is somewhat more complex than a day-service office. This is a point to confirm with the specified administrative authority and an architect.

On use zones, because a small-scale multifunctional home-care office has an overnight function, it may be treated under the Building Standards Act (Act No. 201 of 1950) as a "dormitory" or as a "child welfare facility, etc." Which one it is changes the permitted use zones and the required measures. What holds in common is that in an exclusive industrial zone, dwellings, dormitories and child welfare facilities cannot be built, so a shotaki office cannot go there either. Whether it can be used elsewhere depends on how the building is classified, so before committing, confirm with the municipality's city-planning and building-guidance sections and an architect.

When converting an existing building, check whether a change-of-use confirmation application is required. Article 87, paragraph 1 applies the confirmation procedure where a building's use is changed into one of the special buildings under Article 6, paragraph 1, item 1, which covers "special buildings used for a purpose listed in column (i) of Appended Table 1, where the total floor area for that purpose exceeds 200 m²".

Floor area used for that purpose	Change-of-use confirmation application
200 m² or less	In principle not required
Over 200 m²	Required (Building Standards Act Art. 87 (1) and Art. 6 (1) (i))

But — "no confirmation application" and "no need to comply with the Act" are two different things. Article 87, paragraph 2 applies Article 48 (use-zone restrictions) and the evacuation and fire-prevention provisions to any change of use; substantive requirements — daylighting, smoke exhaust, means of escape, interior-finish restrictions — apply regardless. The use classification, and the requirement and design of a change of use, belong to architects and designated confirmation and inspection bodies; we handle obtaining and delivering the property documents (registration records, drawings and so on).

With an overnight function, how does the fire equipment (automatic fire alarm, sprinklers) change?

Because there is "overnight", the fire-equipment burden can be heavier than for a day-service. This ties directly to the property's renovation cost.

Small-scale multifunctional home care falls within category (6)-ro or (6)-ha of Appended Table 1 of the Fire Service Act Enforcement Order (Cabinet Order No. 37 of 1961). Which one applies is judged by how many residents need help to evacuate (whether it mainly houses people who find self-evacuation difficult). If it is (6)-ro — a social-welfare facility housing people who find self-evacuation difficult — the fire-equipment burden grows.

Sprinklers used to be required for (6)-ro only from a total floor area of 275 m². An amendment (in force 1 April 2015) removed that area threshold, so (6)-ro in principle now requires sprinklers regardless of total floor area. A special exception remains where the total floor area is under 275 m² and the building meets requirements such as a fire-spread-suppressing structure.

Category	Sprinklers
(6)-ro, 275 m² or more	Required
(6)-ro, under 275 m²	In principle required; exempt if it meets a fire-spread-suppressing structure and other requirements
(6)-ha	Required at 275 m² or more, etc. (varies by category and area)

Category (6)-ro also calls for an automatic fire alarm system, a fire alarm that reports to the fire authority, fire extinguishers and the like, depending on area and other factors. When converting a second-hand house or small tenancy, this sprinkler and alarm cost can be a large part of the opening budget, so consult the fire station with jurisdiction before you commit, to establish what that building actually needs. The categorisation and equipment design belong to the fire station and fire-protection engineers; we do not judge them.

Who handles the property, the designation application, the design and the labour?

Split the windows. Because shotaki involves many professions, sorting out who does what at the start avoids confusion.

Task	Who does it
Property investigation, finding a buyer/lessor, brokerage, sale/lease contract, restoration and terms negotiation	Yotsuba Real Estate Co., Ltd. (licensed real estate agent)
Preparing the designation application and other documents for public authorities	Administrative scrivener
Building confirmation, change-of-use design, legality checks	Architect, designated confirmation and inspection body
Fire-equipment design and installation, categorisation	Fire-protection engineer, fire station
Billing of care remuneration (long-term care benefit) and add-ons	Care-benefit billing practice
Staffing, work rules, training and other labour matters	Labour and social security attorney
Tax	Licensed tax accountant

Property investigation, obtaining documents, brokerage and the sale or lease contract are handled by Yotsuba Real Estate Co., Ltd. (licensed real estate agent, Tokyo Governor (1) No. 113304). Preparation of documents submitted to public authorities — such as the designation application for small-scale multifunctional home care — is handled by Yotsuba Administrative Scrivener Office. These are two independent business entities, engaged separately and directly by you. Building confirmation and change-of-use design go to an architect and designated confirmation and inspection body; fire equipment to a fire-protection engineer; staffing and work rules to a labour and social security attorney; tax to a licensed tax accountant; disputes to an attorney — each engaged by you directly. We neither pay nor accept referral fees or introduction commissions. For finding commercial property generally, see investment and commercial property; for the relationship between opening a business and choosing an office, see company formation and choosing an office. Consultation is free of charge.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Does small-scale multifunctional home care always need an overnight room?
A. Yes. It is a service that centres on "commuting" and combines "visiting" and "overnight stay", and Article 67 of the Ministerial Ordinance on Standards for Personnel, Facilities and Operation of Designated Community-Based Services (Ministerial Ordinance No. 34 of 2006) requires equipment including an overnight room. The overnight room is single occupancy (two allowed where needed for care) and 7.43 m² or more. Unlike day care, whether an overnight room can be secured is the first gate in choosing a property.

Q. How does the registered capacity of 29 relate to the building's size?
A. Registered capacity is 29 or fewer (satellite type 18 or fewer); daily commuting is half the registered capacity up to 18, and overnight is one-third of the commuting capacity up to 9 (Art. 66). From the property side, how many overnight rooms of 7.43 m² or more can be secured caps the overnight number, and the size of the living/dining room caps commuting. Size determines the acceptance cap.

Q. Can it be opened in a house in a residential area?
A. It depends on the use zone and the building's classification. Because shotaki has an overnight function, it may be treated under the Building Standards Act as a "dormitory" or a "child welfare facility, etc." It cannot go in an exclusive industrial zone; elsewhere it depends on the classification. If, in converting an existing building, the floor area used for that purpose exceeds 200 m², a change-of-use confirmation application is required (Art. 87 (1)). Confirm the classification and design with an architect and the specified administrative authority.

Q. With an overnight function, are sprinklers always required?
A. Shotaki is category (6)-ro or (6)-ha of Appended Table 1 of the Fire Service Act Enforcement Order, and the category is judged by how many residents need help to evacuate. For (6)-ro, the amendment in force on 1 April 2015 made sprinklers in principle required regardless of total floor area (with an exception under 275 m² where a fire-spread-suppressing structure and other requirements are met). Because the category and the requirement vary by building, consult the fire station with jurisdiction first.

Sources (primary)

• e-Gov "介護保険法" (Long-Term Care Insurance Act) — Act No. 123 of 1997. Art. 8 (14) definition of community-based services; Art. 8 (19) definition of small-scale multifunctional home care; Art. 78-2 (1) designation by the municipal mayor. Accessed 11 September 2026.
• e-Gov "指定地域密着型サービスの事業の人員、設備及び運営に関する基準" (Standards for Personnel, Facilities and Operation of Designated Community-Based Services) — Ministerial Ordinance No. 34 of 2006. Art. 66 registered capacity 29 or fewer, commuting capacity (half of registered up to 15, up to 18 by registered capacity), overnight capacity (one-third of commuting up to 9); Art. 67 equipment (living room, dining room, kitchen, overnight room, bathroom, fire-extinguishing equipment), overnight room single occupancy and 7.43 m² or more. Accessed 11 September 2026.
• e-Gov "消防法施行令" (Fire Service Act Enforcement Order) — Cabinet Order No. 37 of 1961. Appended Table 1 category (6)-ro (social-welfare facilities housing people who find self-evacuation difficult) and (6)-ha (others); Art. 12 sprinkler standards. The 275 m² threshold for (6)-ro was removed by the amendment in force 1 April 2015, making sprinklers in principle mandatory, with an exception under 275 m² for a fire-spread-suppressing structure. Accessed 11 September 2026.
• e-Gov "建築基準法" (Building Standards Act) — Act No. 201 of 1950. Art. 6 (1) (i) special buildings of Appended Table 1 column (i) over 200 m²; Art. 87 (1) confirmation on change of use and (2) application of Art. 48 etc.; use restrictions in exclusive industrial zones under Appended Table 2. Accessed 11 September 2026.

The shotaki property requirements are set by securing overnight rooms, sufficient size for the capacity, the use zone and classification, whether a change of use is required, and fire equipment, all combined. This article does not assess any individual property. The use classification (dormitory or child welfare facility) and the requirement and design of a change of use vary by building; the judgment on legality and the design belong to architects, the specified administrative authority and designated confirmation and inspection bodies, and the fire categorisation and design belong to the fire station and fire-protection engineers. Municipal city planning, fire-station practice and community-based service standard ordinances (municipal add-ons) change; check the municipality's, the fire station's and the specified administrative authority's own pages when you start.

This article is general information. It does not judge or guarantee the feasibility of opening any particular property or the grant of any designation. Property investigation, brokerage and sale or lease contracts are undertaken by Yotsuba Real Estate Co., Ltd. (licensed real estate agent); the preparation of designation applications and other documents for submission to public authorities is undertaken by Yotsuba Administrative Scrivener Office — two independent business entities, engaged separately. Building confirmation and change of use belong to architects and designated confirmation and inspection bodies; fire equipment to fire-protection engineers; staffing and work rules to a labour and social security attorney; billing to care-benefit practice; tax to a licensed tax accountant. We neither pay nor accept referral fees.

About the author

Joji Uramatsu — licensed real estate transaction specialist (Tokyo Governor registration No. 293544) and administrative scrivener (registration No. 25087022). Representative Director, Yotsuba Real Estate Co., Ltd. (licensed real estate agent, Tokyo Governor (1) No. 113304); principal, Yotsuba Administrative Scrivener Office. Kohinata, Bunkyo, Tokyo, about five minutes' walk from Myogadani station. Property and paperwork are put on the same table. Full profile: author page.