Sorting trash in Japan feels intimidating at first — there are more categories than most newcomers are used to, and neighbours do notice. The good news: the rules are consistent enough to learn in an afternoon, and your city or ward publishes a guide (often in several languages) with the exact details.
The main categories
Names and colours differ by municipality, but most areas use roughly these groups:
- Burnable / combustible (可燃ごみ・燃やすごみ): kitchen scraps, dirty paper, and in many wards small soft plastics.
- Non-burnable (不燃ごみ・燃やさないごみ): metal, glass, ceramics, small appliances.
- Recyclable resources (資源): PET bottles (rinse them, remove the cap and label), cans, glass bottles, clean paper and flattened cardboard.
- Plastic packaging (プラ / 容器包装プラスチック): clean food trays, wrappers and bottles — collected separately in many wards.
- Oversized (粗大ごみ): furniture, futons, large items — usually paid, by phone/online appointment with a paid sticker.
- Hazardous / special: batteries, lighters, spray cans and fluorescent tubes often need separate handling — check before you toss them.
The single most important thing: the categories, bag rules, and especially the collection days are set by your CITY or WARD, not nationally. Whatever a friend in another ward tells you may be wrong for yours. Always check your own ward's guide for the exact schedule.
Putting it out the right way
- 1Find your ward's garbage guide. Most Tokyo wards publish one in English / 中文 / 日本語 (and an app). Search your ward name + 'garbage separation' in your language, or use the official link below as an example.
- 2Get the right bags. Some wards require designated bags (sold at supermarkets and convenience stores, printed with the ward name); others accept clear/semi-transparent bags. Your guide will say which.
- 3Sort as you go. Rinse PET bottles and food trays, flatten cardboard, and keep the categories separate — it's far easier than re-sorting later.
- 4Put it out on the correct morning. Collection is by category on fixed weekdays. In most areas you put trash out the morning of pickup (often by 8:00), at your building's or block's collection spot — not the night before.
Mistakes newcomers make
- Putting trash out on the wrong day, or the night before — it may sit uncollected and the building will notice.
- Leaving caps and labels on PET bottles, or not rinsing recyclables.
- Mixing clean plastic packaging in with burnable in wards that collect it separately.
- Trying to put a large item out with normal trash instead of booking an oversized (粗大ごみ) pickup.
- Using the wrong bag in a designated-bag ward.
- What if I miss my collection day?
- Hold the trash until the next scheduled collection day for that category — don't leave it out early. For a large item, book a 粗大ごみ appointment.
- Where do I buy designated bags?
- In wards that require them, supermarkets and convenience stores sell them, printed with the ward's name and size.
- Is my ward's guide available in my language?
- Many Tokyo wards publish multilingual guides and apps. Search your ward name plus 'gomi' or 'garbage' and your language.
