How to Sort Garbage in Japan: A Foreigner's Guide to the Rules

Quick answer (30 seconds): Japan separates trash into a few main streams — burnable (可燃), non-burnable (不燃), recyclables (資源: PET bottles, cans, glass, paper, plastic), and oversized "sodai gomi" (粗大, sodai gomi) — and you put each out on its own collection day. The catch: the exact categories, bags, and days are set by your city/ward, not nationally, so two neighbors in different cities can have different rules. Many areas require designated bags (指定袋); oversized items need a paid sticker and an appointment. The fastest way to get it right: find your own municipality's guide (often in English) and the chart posted at your building's garbage point.

The main categories

Most municipalities use some version of these:

• Burnable / combustible (可燃, kanen gomi): food scraps, dirty/greasy paper, small wood, used tissues. (Some cities burn plastic too — check locally.)
• Non-burnable (不燃, funen gomi): small metal, glass, ceramics, small appliances, umbrellas.
• Recyclables (資源, shigen gomi): PET bottles (cap & label off, rinsed), cans, glass bottles, paper/cardboard, and plastic packaging (pura) — rinse off food first.
• Oversized (粗大, sodai gomi): furniture, futons, bicycles, anything roughly over 30 cm — paid, by appointment (see below).
• Hazardous (有害, yugai gomi): batteries, lighters, spray cans, light bulbs — often a separate day. Batteries and spray cans are fire hazards — never mix them into burnable.

The rules that trip people up

• Designated bags (指定袋): many cities require you to buy specific clear/colored bags from supermarkets or convenience stores. Using the wrong bag = your trash won't be collected.
• Rinse recyclables: bottles, cans, and trays must be clean or they're treated as burnable.
• Caps & labels: remove from PET bottles (they're a different recyclable).
• Put it out on the morning of collection, not the night before (to avoid crows/animals) — though some buildings have an enclosed point you can use anytime.
• Collection days are fixed per area and per category (e.g., burnable twice a week, recyclables once).

Oversized items (sodai gomi): the paid process

Big items aren't collected with normal trash. The usual steps:

1. Contact your city's sodai-gomi center (phone or website) and book a pickup date.
2. Buy a disposal sticker/ticket — typically ¥300–¥2,000 depending on the item — at a convenience store or post office.
3. Write the reference number on the sticker, attach it to the item, and put it out on the scheduled morning.

Moving out or leaving Japan? Selling usable furniture/appliances on Mercari is often easier and cheaper than paying sodai-gomi stickers — see the related guide.

How to find YOUR city's exact rules

Because rules are local, do this on day one:

• Search "[your city/ward] garbage separation English" — most municipalities publish a multilingual guide and a collection calendar.
• Check the chart posted at your building's garbage station (gomi shūsekijo) or on the ground floor.
• Many cities have a garbage app or LINE bot that tells you "what goes where" and reminds you of collection days.
• Ask your landlord/management company for the building's specific point and days.

FAQ

1. Is there one national garbage rule in Japan? No. Categories, bags, and days are set by each municipality, so always check your own city's guide.

2. What happens if I sort it wrong? Your bag may be left uncollected (sometimes with a warning sticker). It's also a common source of friction with neighbors — getting it right matters socially.

3. Do I have to buy special bags? In many cities, yes — designated bags sold at supermarkets/convenience stores. Some cities allow clear/semi-clear bags. Check locally.

4. How do I throw away a sofa or futon? As sodai gomi: book a pickup, buy a sticker (~¥300–¥2,000), attach it, and put it out on the assigned day. Or sell/give it away first.

5. Where do batteries and spray cans go? Usually hazardous/non-burnable with special handling — never in burnable, as they cause fires. Check your city's category.

Sources

• Your municipality's official garbage guide (search "[city] gomi bunbetsu / garbage separation") — the authoritative source for your area
• Real Estate Japan — official English garbage-disposal guidelines by Tokyo ward: https://resources.realestate.co.jp/living/how-to-sort-garbage-in-japan-official-english-guidelines-for-garbage-disposal-in-tokyo-by-ward/
• MailMate — burnable garbage & sorting explained for foreigners: https://mailmate.jp/blog/burnable-garbage-in-japan

Related guides

• Moving in Japan checklist — set up your address and learn the local rules
• Japan utilities setup checklist — electricity, gas, water, internet
• Mercari guide for foreigners — sell big items instead of paying to dump them
• UR rental housing for foreigners — low-cost public rentals

Last updated: 2026-06-19