Established in 1993, as the first NPO in Toyama (designated in 1999), by three former nurses of Toyama Red Cross Hospital, this nursing home has an unusual policy as it takes care of sick children, the elderly, the disabled and everyone else all together under one roof.

 Kayoko Soman, President, says, “Let people of different kinds and generations communicate with each other and get them to feel as if they were living in their own homes”. She tirelessly receives a large number of visitors from not only inside but also outside Japan including Latin America at this “Toyama style day-care house” which has paved the way for people who want a flexible and “normal” system of nursing care.

For example, in Shiga, Tokushima, and Nagano Prefecture, each local government currently subsidizes the same sort of day care houses. In 2004 Toyama City was designated “a special area to promote Toyama Style Day Service” by the central government.

Two Japanese nurses, who are renowned for their achievements in the field of public health and nursing education respectively, 
were awarded the Florence Nightingale medal this year. The Japanese recipients of the medal are Ms. Kayoko Souman, 
director of the non-profit organization “Konoyubitomare” and Ms. Ritsu Yamada, director of the medical corporation “Oufukai”. 
The list of recipients was announced on May 12th, birthday of Florence Nightingale by a commission comprised of the ICRC.

The Nightingale Medal is the most prestigious price of its kind, and is awarded every other year in recognition of exceptional courage 
and devotion to victims of armed conflict or natural disaster. It also recognizes exemplary service or a pioneering spirit in the areas of 
public health or nursing education. This year 36 persons from 18 countries were awarded the medal. The number of the awardee in Japan
 reached 107. Kayoko Souman(63)

After completing her career at Toyama Red Cross Hospital, Kayoko Souman established the Day Care House “Konoyubitomare”
 community-based small and multifunctional welfare institution in 1993. This welfare institution pioneered the, so called “Toyama Model”
, which later was adopted by similar institutions nation-wide.