Garbage rules in Tokyo: sorting and pickup days

Nothing marks you as the new American in the building faster than a bag of mixed trash left out on the wrong morning. Tokyo's system is strict, but it's logical once you see it.

The short version

Each of the 23 wards sets its own rules. The categories are similar across Tokyo, but collection days, bag rules and fees differ, down to your block.
The basic split: burnable (twice a week), metal, ceramics and glass (twice a month), recyclables like plastic packaging, bottles, cans, PET bottles and paper (usually weekly) [1][2].
Put garbage out at your building's or block's collection spot by 8 a.m. on collection day, not the night before [1][2].
Anything over 30 cm (about 12 inches) on a side is oversized garbage (sodai gomi). You book a pickup and stick a prepaid ticket on it [1][3].
TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines can't go out as trash at all. They go through the appliance recycling system [1][2].

Why it's different from back home

Back in the States, most of us have one bin for trash and maybe one for recycling, and the truck takes whatever's in them. In Tokyo, there are no big wheeled bins. Each block or building has a small collection point, sometimes just a net on the sidewalk, and the crew skips bags that are wrongly sorted, often with a warning sticker. Then your neighbors see it.

Your building may also have its own rules on top of the ward's, like a locked garbage room or a sorting chart by the mailboxes. Ask your landlord or management company on move-in day, and grab the ward's English guide when you register your address.

The main categories

Here's how Shinjuku sorts, as an example. Bunkyo and most other wards are similar, but check your ward's chart [1][2].

Category	What goes in	How often	Bag
Burnable (combustible)	Kitchen scraps, dirty paper, diapers	Twice a week	Any bag per ward rules; Bunkyo limits you to 4 bags of 45 liters per pickup [2]
Metal, ceramics and glass (non-burnable)	Small appliances, dishes, broken glass, lighters	Twice a month	Wrap sharp items and mark them "kiken" (dangerous)
Recyclable plastic	Plastic packaging and containers, bottle caps and labels	Once a week	Clear or semi-clear bag, items rinsed
Bottles	Food, drink and cosmetic bottles	Once a week	Clear or semi-clear, rinsed
Cans	Food and drink cans	Per ward schedule	Clear or semi-clear, rinsed
PET bottles	Drink bottles marked PET	Per ward schedule	Rinsed and crushed; caps and labels off
Paper	Newspapers, magazines, cardboard, milk cartons	Once a week	Tied with string by type
Spray cans, gas canisters, batteries	Emptied cans, dry-cell batteries	Per ward schedule	Separate clear bag; tape battery terminals

A few rules that trip up newcomers:

Rinse everything. Dirty plastic isn't recyclable plastic; it's burnable, or it gets left behind [1].
Split the PET bottle. The bottle goes with PET, but the cap and label go with plastic [1].
Lighters and spray cans: use them up first, then bag them separately [1].
Swollen rechargeable batteries: don't put them out; take them straight to the waste collection office [1].
Paper goes out even in the rain in Shinjuku [1]. Don't hold it back for a dry day.

Collection days and where to put it out

Your collection days depend on your address, sometimes on your chome (block). The ward sends a calendar or posts it online, and the collection point often has a sign listing the days.

Timing: by 8 a.m. on the day [1][2]. Putting it out the night before attracts crows and complaints.
Crow nets: if your spot has a net, tuck the bags fully under it.
Year-end and New Year: pickups pause for several days around January 1, so plan before you leave for a winter vacation.
Moving out: don't dump a whole apartment at the collection point. Book oversized pickups weeks ahead, because spring moving season gets busy.

Oversized garbage: furniture, bikes and futons

In Shinjuku, anything over 30 cm (about 12 inches) on any side, like furniture, bedding, electric products or bicycles, counts as oversized [1]. The process is similar across wards:

Book a pickup. In Shinjuku, call the Oversized Garbage Reception Center at 03-5304-8080 (Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.) or book online at shinjuku-sodai.com, which is open 24 hours and covers up to 10 items [1][3]. Bunkyo's center is 03-5296-7000, with online and chatbot booking too [2].
Get your fee. The center tells you the fee for each item, or you look it up in the online item list [3].
Buy the tickets. Prepaid oversized garbage tickets are sold at convenience stores and supermarkets displaying the ward's ticket sign [3]. Tickets are ward-specific, so a Shinjuku ticket won't work in Shibuya.
Label and put out. Fill in the ticket as the center tells you, stick it on the item, and put it out in front of your home by 8 a.m. on your pickup day [1].

Fees vary by item and ward, so we're not quoting numbers here; a chair costs less than a bed or sofa, and the online item list gives the exact amount [3]. People on public assistance and some other groups can get reduced fees, but they must book by phone [1][3].

Alternatives: sell or give away furniture through a local resale shop or online flea market, or ask in your building or community group before booking a pickup.

What the ward won't take

Item	Where it goes
TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers, washers and dryers	Appliance recycling: ask the store that sold it or the one selling you a new one, or call the Home Appliance Recycling reception center. You pay a recycling fee plus pickup [1][2]
Computers	The manufacturer's take-back program, or Renet Japan Recycle (0570-085-800) [1][2]
Paint, tires, car batteries, fire extinguishers	Call the ward's waste office for instructions [1]
Pianos, motorcycles and other large hazardous items	Not collected; use a specialist [2]

Apps and English help

Shinjuku has an official sorting app called 3R (Three R), and its English living guide covers the rules [1][4].
Bunkyo posts an English sorting guide (April 2025 edition) and offers online booking and a chatbot for oversized items [2].
Many other wards have their own apps or English PDFs. Search your ward's name with "garbage English."

When you're stuck on whether something is burnable, the ward's search tool or app beats guessing. You can also post a photo in our community group for Americans in Japan, where someone will know your ward's quirks.

Garbage rules in Tokyo: how to sort, when to put it out, and what to do with a sofa