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.

How do I get rid of a TV, fridge, washing machine or air conditioner?

Not as oversized trash. These four are covered by the Home Appliance Recycling Law and go through a separate route with a recycling fee — usually by asking the retailer (where you bought it or are buying the replacement) to take it back, or arranging a collection. Computers have their own manufacturer take-back recycling. Check your ward's guide for the exact steps.

Garbage & recycling in Tokyo: a newcomer's guide

Japan sorts its trash more carefully than almost anywhere — but the rules are learnable once you know the shape of them. Here's how sorting works and how to find your own ward's exact schedule.

5 min readChecked against official sources 2026-06-19

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.

Big home appliances can't go out as oversized trash. Under the Home Appliance Recycling Law, TVs, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines and clothes dryers, and air conditioners must be recycled through the retailer or manufacturer for a recycling fee — you cannot put them out as 粗大ごみ. Ask the shop where you bought it (or are buying the replacement) to take the old one back, or arrange a collection. Computers (PCs) have their own manufacturer take-back recycling too.

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. Many wards also support the free 「San-a-ru」 (さんあ～る) app, which shows your local collection calendar, sends reminders, and has a searchable 'how do I sort this?' dictionary.
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.

Booking an oversized (粗大ごみ) pickup

1Book the pickup first. Most wards take the booking online or by phone; you'll be told which paid processing tickets (粗大ごみ処理券/shori-ken) to buy and the collection date.
2Buy the processing tickets. They're sold at convenience stores and many supermarkets. Buy the amount the booking told you (don't guess), since they generally can't be refunded.
3Fill them in and stick them on. Write your name and the collection date on the ticket (with a permanent pen) and stick it somewhere flat and visible on the item.
4Put the item out on the morning of collection, at the spot you were given — there's no in-person handover, so you don't need to wait or meet anyone.

Worried about booking in Japanese? Many wards' online bulky-waste booking systems work fine with a browser translator. If yours only takes phone bookings, you can ask a Japanese-speaking neighbour or friend to help, or use a proxy — there's no requirement to do it yourself in person.

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.
Mis-sorting, or putting trash out on the wrong day, can mean it's left behind with a warning sticker — a note asking you to take it back inside and re-sort it.

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.
How do I get rid of a TV, fridge, washing machine or air conditioner?: Not as oversized trash. These four are covered by the Home Appliance Recycling Law and go through a separate route with a recycling fee — usually by asking the retailer (where you bought it or are buying the replacement) to take it back, or arranging a collection. Computers have their own manufacturer take-back recycling. Check your ward's guide for the exact steps.

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