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Japan Garbage Sorting Quick Reference (2026)

Last Updated: March 2026Applies to most Japanese cities

General garbage sorting rules for Japan. Note: Specific rules vary by city - always check your local municipality's guidelines. Tokyo's 23 wards, Osaka, and other major cities may have slight variations.

ItemCategoryPreparationTypical Frequency
PET BottlesRecyclable PlasticRemove cap & label, rinse, crushWeekly
Newspapers/MagazinesPaper (資源ごみ)Bundle with stringBi-weekly
Food ScrapsBurnable (燃えるごみ)Drain water, wrap in paper2x/week
Cans (Aluminum/Steel)Recyclable MetalRinse, do not crushWeekly
Glass BottlesRecyclable GlassRinse, remove capsBi-weekly
BatteriesHazardous (有害ごみ)Tape terminals, separate bagMonthly
Small ElectronicsSmall Metal (小型金属)Remove batteries firstMonthly
Styrofoam TraysRecyclable PlasticRinse and dry completelyWeekly
CardboardPaper (資源ごみ)Flatten, bundle with stringBi-weekly
Plastic BagsBurnable (燃えるごみ)No special prep needed2x/week
Oversized ItemsLarge Garbage (粗大ごみ)Call city office, pay fee (¥200-2000)By appointment

💡 Yamada Hack: Put garbage out in the morning (by 8 AM), never the night before. Crows will destroy bags left overnight, and you may get complaints from neighbors. Use transparent or semi-transparent bags so collectors can verify contents.

Note: This is a general guide. Tokyo's 23 wards use 「可燃ごみ」for burnable, while some cities use「燃やすごみ」. Always confirm with your city's official guide.

Citation: EasyNihon. "Japan Garbage Sorting Quick Reference (2026)." EasyNihon.com, March 2026. https://easynihon.com/data-garbage-sorting

Frequently Asked Questions

Japan's garbage sorting system typically uses these main categories: moeru gomi (burnable/combustible garbage) for food waste, paper, and most non-recyclable items; moenai gomi (non-burnable/incombustible garbage) for glass, ceramics, and small metal items; shigen gomi (resource recyclables) subdivided into PET bottles, glass bottles, aluminum and steel cans, and cardboard/paper; and sodai gomi (oversized waste) for furniture and appliances requiring special collection. The exact sorting rules for garbage vary by municipality.
No, garbage and recycling rules in Japan are set independently by each municipality and vary substantially — there is no uniform national sorting standard. Some progressive municipalities like Kamikatsu in Kochi Prefecture require sorting into 45 different categories, while others have simpler 4 or 5 category systems. Even neighboring cities within the same prefecture can have different rules for what goes in each bin. This garbage sorting data tool provides municipality-specific rules so you always sort correctly for your exact location.
Japanese garbage sorting treats different types of plastic differently: items bearing the プラ (pura / plastic recycling) mark on their packaging belong in the plastic recycling category and must be rinsed before disposal. PET bottles (marked PET or ペット) are collected separately from other plastic and require removing the cap and label, rinsing, and crushing. Plastic items without a recycle mark such as toys, bags, or broken household items typically go in either the non-burnable or burnable garbage category depending on your specific municipality's rules.
Oversized waste items (sodai gomi) such as furniture, appliances, bicycles, and large household items cannot be placed in regular garbage collection and require a separate process in Japan. Contact your municipality's sodai gomi center by phone or online to register the items and schedule a pickup date, then purchase disposal stickers (shori ken) at a convenience store for ¥200 to ¥2,000 per item based on size, and affix them to the items before placing them outside on the designated day. Some municipalities provide free collection for small numbers of items annually.
Many Japanese municipalities require residents to use designated official garbage bags (shitei fukuro) that are sold at convenience stores and supermarkets within that municipality, typically costing ¥300 to ¥600 for a pack of 10 bags of one size. These designated bags vary in color or design by garbage category and city, and using a non-designated bag can result in your garbage being left uncollected. Some municipalities accept any clear or semi-transparent bag rather than requiring specific designated garbage bags — check your city's rules using this garbage sorting data tool.

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