Tokyo Garbage Sorting & Collection Rules
A complete guide to sorting garbage in Tokyo's 23 wards: how to find your collection schedule, dispose of bulky items, handle home appliance recycling, and avoid common mistakes that cause neighbor complaints.
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Garbage Categories and Collection Frequency
These are common household-garbage categories in Tokyo’s 23 wards, not a universal sorting chart. Check your address and building: for example, Minato’s schedule has separate weekly plastic-resource collection and different non-burnable frequency in some areas.
| Category | Japanese | Common examples — check local exceptions | Typical frequency, not a guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnable garbage | 可燃ゴミ (kanenごみ) | Food scraps, non-recyclable or soiled paper, wood scraps, leather goods | Twice a week |
| Non-burnable garbage | 不燃ゴミ (funenごみ) | Metal, glass, ceramics, eligible small home appliances | Twice a month |
| Recyclables | 資源ゴミ (shigenごみ) | Newspapers and magazines, glass bottles, aluminum and steel cans, PET bottles; sort and prepare each type separately | Once a week |
| Plastic resources | 資源プラスチック (shigen purasuchikku) | Eligible plastic packaging and products; accepted materials, sizes, and preparation vary | Check the separate local schedule |
| Bulky garbage | 粗大ゴミ (sodaiごみ) | Furniture, bicycles, and other items above the local size limit, often around 30 cm; exceptions apply | By appointment only (fee required) |
PET bottles should be rinsed with the cap and label removed before putting them out. Keep the bottle separate from its cap and label, and follow your municipality’s plastic-sorting rules for those parts. In Minato, caps and labels go with plastic resources. Do not assume all small plastic items are burnable garbage.
When and Where to Put Out Garbage
Garbage goes out on the morning of the collection day at your designated collection point. The cutoff time varies by ward and location. Most wards require garbage out by 8:00 a.m., though some — like Chuo Ward, which has three different cutoff times (8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m.) depending on the specific collection point — are more granular. Always check the rules for your specific address. Do not leave bags at an outdoor collection point the night before: crows can tear them open and scatter the contents, creating problems for neighbors.
Your collection point may be your building’s designated garbage area or a designated roadside spot. Some buildings also have a managed storage room, from which staff move garbage to the collection point. Ask your landlord or property manager where and when residents may leave each category; permission to use a storage room does not mean you may leave bags outside overnight. Minato’s building guidance distinguishes storage from the collection point.
Garbage Bag Rules
23 Wards: Ordinary household garbage generally does not require a city-designated paid bag. Use transparent or semi-transparent bags that meet your ward’s size and sorting rules; recyclables may require separate bags, containers, or bundles. Black or opaque bags may result in your garbage being left uncollected.
Tama Area (26 cities): Paid household-garbage collection is in place, commonly through designated bags sold at local supermarkets and convenience stores. Check which categories require them: Musashimurayama, for example, requires paid bags for burnable, non-burnable, and plastic-packaging waste, while other categories use different rules. Prices vary by size — in Kodaira, a pack of 10 40L burnable garbage bags costs ¥800.
Collection Schedules and Apps
Collection days vary by neighborhood even within the same ward. After moving, the first thing to do is look up the schedule for your specific address.
How to find your schedule:
- Ward website: Most wards have a page where you can enter your address and see which days your garbage is collected
- Garbage sorting apps: Many municipalities offer their own apps, some with collection day reminders so you don’t have to memorize anything
- Ward office counter: When you register your new address (jūminhyō transfer), you’ll usually receive a pamphlet explaining local garbage rules
Multilingual Guides
Most major wards offer garbage sorting guides in English, Chinese, Korean, and other languages.
- Minato Ward — PDF guides in English, Korean, and Chinese; sorting flyer in 10 languages
- Shinjuku Ward — Sorting guide and app for foreign residents
- Ota Ward — Multilingual pamphlets
- Toshima Ward — Sorting guide in multiple languages
If you can’t find a guide for your ward, searching “ward name + garbage + English” on the ward’s website usually turns something up.
Rules That Differ by Ward
The same item can belong to different categories depending on where you live. Every time you move, it’s worth double-checking.
| Item | Example of a local rule | What to check after moving |
|---|---|---|
| Dry-cell batteries | Shinjuku collects them separately on its weekly recycling day, while Minato lists dry-cell batteries as non-burnable | Your battery type, collection route, and required preparation; rechargeable and button cells may have different rules |
| Plastic storage boxes | Minato accepts certain all-plastic boxes under 60 cm as plastic resources, an exception to its usual bulky-item threshold | Material, size, and the municipality’s specific exceptions — do not apply a single 30 cm rule to everything |
When in doubt, use the ward’s item search tool on their website. You can search alphabetically for specific items to find out exactly which category they belong to.
How to Dispose of Bulky Items
Around 30 cm is a common threshold for bulky garbage, but check your ward’s item guide before booking. Minato generally uses 30 cm or more, with exceptions such as certain plastic storage boxes under 60 cm; other wards define the cutoff differently. Eligible furniture, bicycles, futons, and similar items require advance booking.
Steps:
- Book a pickup — Contact your ward’s bulky garbage reception center by phone or online
- Buy a processing sticker — Purchase a “粗大ごみ処理券” (sodai gomi shori-ken) at a convenience store or supermarket. The price depends on the item’s size
- Attach the sticker — Fill in the details specified by your ward when booking, then affix the required stickers to the item
- Put it out on the scheduled morning — Place it at the designated spot by the specified time
Rough pricing: Fees vary by item and size. The Minato Ward bulky garbage fee schedule (PDF) is a useful reference. In Minato, stickers come in two denominations — Type A (¥200) and Type B (¥300) — and staff will tell you which combination you need when you book.
The bulky garbage phone line is almost always Japanese-only. If calling in Japanese is difficult, your ward’s foreign resident consultation counter may be able to help you through the process.
Home Appliance Recycling Law
The following four categories are covered by the Home Appliance Recycling Law and cannot be disposed of through regular or bulky garbage collection:
- Air conditioners
- Televisions (CRT, LCD, plasma, OLED)
- Refrigerators and freezers
- Washing machines and clothes dryers
How to dispose of them:
- Through the retailer — Ask the store where you bought the appliance (or where you’re buying a replacement) to take it back. You’ll pay a recycling fee plus a collection and transport charge
- Drop-off at a designated collection point — Purchase a recycling voucher at a post office and bring the appliance to a designated collection point yourself
- Through your ward — If the above options don’t work, your ward can refer you to a licensed disposal contractor
Avoid unlicensed collection trucks — the ones that drive slowly through residential areas announcing “free junk collection.” These operations have been linked to illegal dumping, and the Ministry of the Environment warns against using them.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
| What people do | Why it’s a problem | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Leave bags at an outdoor collection point the night before | Crows tear open bags and create a mess for neighbors | Put them out within the collection-day hours; follow separate rules for any managed building storage room |
| Use bags that do not meet local rules | Contents cannot be checked, or the required paid bag is missing; garbage may be left behind | Follow your municipality’s bag and container rules for that category |
| Leave the cap on PET bottles | Caps are plastic, bottles are PET — they’re different materials | Remove caps and labels before putting them out |
| Try to put a TV or fridge out as bulky garbage | These are covered by the Home Appliance Recycling Law and won’t be collected | Purchase a recycling voucher and use the proper disposal channel |
| Mix batteries into other garbage without checking | Lithium-ion batteries can cause fires; collection routes differ by battery type and municipality | Check your ward’s instructions for dry-cell, button, and rechargeable batteries; insulate terminals where instructed and use the specified separate bag or collection point |
| Use your old ward’s rules after moving | Rules differ from ward to ward | Check the rules for your new ward right after you move |
For example, Shinjuku gives separate instructions for small rechargeable batteries; do not assume there is one Tokyo-wide hazardous-waste day.
If you sort something incorrectly, your bag will be left behind with a warning sticker asking you to sort properly. Repeated violations can lead to complaints from your property manager or landlord, so it’s worth getting the rules right from the start.
Penalties for Violations
Minor sorting mistakes at home rarely result in fines, but more serious violations carry real consequences.
- Repeated sorting violations: Warning from property manager or landlord — potentially an eviction notice if not corrected
- Illegal dumping: Violation of the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Act — up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to ¥10 million
- Littering in Shibuya: A 2026 amendment to Shibuya Ward’s ordinance will impose a ¥2,000 fine for littering on public streets starting June 2026
When Things Go Wrong
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Not sure which category an item belongs to | Use the ward’s item search tool, or search “ward name + garbage + item name” online |
| Missed collection day | Keep it at home until the next collection day — leaving it out causes problems with neighbors |
| Can’t make the phone reservation for bulky garbage | Most wards offer online booking; your ward’s foreign resident consultation counter can also help |
| Just moved and have a large amount of garbage | Putting out too much at once may result in some of it not being collected — spread it over several collection days or check your ward’s rules |
| Only Japanese-language guides available | Search “ward name + garbage + English” online — a multilingual version often exists |
Other Options
- Private junk removal services: If you have a large volume of items — especially around a move — a licensed removal company can take everything at once. Get a quote first, as prices vary by volume and content
- Secondhand shops: Furniture and appliances that still work can often be sold to chains like Second Street or Hard Off. No disposal fee, and you might even get a little money back
- Jmty: Jmty is a local classifieds platform where you can give away or pick up unwanted items for free
Related Articles
- How to Find an Apartment in Tokyo — What you need to know before moving in
- Tokyo Ward Office Moving Guide — All the paperwork you’ll need after moving
- Tokyo Manners and Etiquette — The basics of everyday life in Japan
- First Time Living Alone in Tokyo — A full overview of setting up your life here
Sources:
- Minato City. “Garbage sorting and collection guidebooks and posters.” https://www.city.minato.tokyo.jp/gomigenryou/kurashi/gomi/kate/k-wakekata/guidebook.html (Accessed: 2026-03-17)
- Shinjuku City. “Recyclables and garbage.” https://www.foreign.city.shinjuku.lg.jp/jp/kurashi/shigenyagomi/ (Accessed: 2026-03-17)
- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. “Home Appliance Recycling Law (Act on Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances).” https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/it_policy/kaden_recycle/fukyu_special/ (Accessed: 2026-03-17)
- Japan Electrical Manufacturers’ Association. “Recycling fee schedule.” https://www.rkc.aeha.or.jp/recycle_price.html (Accessed: 2026-03-17)
FAQ
What are the main garbage categories in Tokyo?
Can I put garbage out the night before collection?
Do I need special garbage bags in Tokyo?
How do I dispose of a TV, refrigerator, or washing machine?
How do I arrange bulky garbage pickup?
What happens if I sort my garbage incorrectly?
Are there multilingual garbage guides available?
How do I find out my garbage collection schedule?
* This article was translated from the original Japanese with the help of machine translation. Some expressions may not read naturally.
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