Where to throw away rubbish in Japan
Checked against 14 official sources. 6 minute read.
What to know first
Public bins are rare in Japan. Carry a small bag and plan on two usual places: convenience stores (konbini) and the recycling boxes beside vending machines (for drink bottles and cans only). Don't count on station bins: Toei removed the bins by the ticket gates at all its subway stations on 9 May 2022. Everything else goes back to your hotel, where your room bin takes the day's rubbish. Bins are sorted, usually into burnable (燃えるごみ), PET bottles (ペットボトル), cans and glass bottles (かん・びん) and sometimes paper. In the Japan Tourism Agency's survey of 4,110 departing visitors, published on 28 April 2026, too few bins was the most common problem, named by 17.2%.
Next step: Put a folded plastic bag or small zip bag in your day bag before you leave the hotel.
- Survey sample and dates
- 4,110 departing visitors at 5 airports; 18 November 2025 to 13 January 2026
- Kyoto smart bins
- 37 bins at 18 sites after the 22 June 2026 installation
- Gion shopping-street common bins
- From 1 November 2025, at more than 20 shops
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On this page
Where to put what
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Empty PET bottle or can from a vending machine | The recycling box beside the vending machine. For drink containers only; not for cups, wrappers or food. |
| Empty bottle or can, no vending machine nearby | Your bag, until you pass a vending-machine recycling box. Finish the drink first; leftover liquid counts as contamination. |
| Food wrapper or coffee cup from a konbini | That konbini's bins, by the door or inside. Bins are meant for what you bought there; ask if they're inside. |
| Street-food skewer or cup in a market | The stall that sold it. Many stalls keep a bin; Kyoto's Nishiki Market asks you to use the bin of the shop you bought from. |
| Rubbish from the day with no bin in sight | Your bag, then your hotel room bin. This is what most Japanese people do. |
| Tissue or chewing gum | Wrap it, bag it, hotel bin. Not in vending-machine boxes. |
| Anything at a temple, shrine or park | Carry it out. Many sites have no bins by policy. |
| Batteries, broken umbrella, large items | Ask the hotel front desk. Don't leave them in station bins. |
Why there are so few bins
Security is part of the story. According to Norimono News, bins were taken out of Tokyo subway stations after the 1995 sarin attack, came back in smaller numbers from 1997, and were removed again by Tokyo Metro and major private railways after the 2004 Madrid and 2005 London train bombings (the operators haven't published this history themselves as of 11 October 2026). Cost and fly-tipping are other reasons: open bins fill up with household rubbish and need frequent emptying. The everyday expectation is simple: you take your rubbish home.
Things are slowly changing in tourist hotspots. Kyoto City had 37 smart bins at 18 sites after an installation on 22 June 2026, including in sightseeing areas such as Arashiyama. From 1 November 2025, after a trial from July 2025, more than 20 shops on a Gion shopping street each have a common bin that takes rubbish from any shop on the street. These help, but you can't plan a day around them.
Where you may find a bin
1. Convenience stores. 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson branches usually have sorted bins by the entrance or just inside. They're intended for things bought in the shop. Buying a drink and dropping the wrapper is fine; emptying a bag of the day's rubbish isn't. Placement varies by branch: some city-centre shops keep bins inside or have none. None of the three chains publishes a national bin policy (not stated officially as of 11 October 2026).
2. Stations. Don't rely on them. Toei removed the bins near the ticket gates at every Toei subway station on 9 May 2022 and asks passengers to take their rubbish home. Where a station still has bins, follow the labels on them.
3. Vending-machine recycling boxes. The box beside a drinks machine is a recycling box, not a general bin. The soft-drink industry says about 30% of what goes in them is non-container waste, which contaminates the recycling. Since autumn 2022 a new standard box with a downward-facing slot and orange colour has been rolling out, specifically to stop people using them as bins. Use them only for empty bottles and cans.
Sorting: the labels you'll see
燃えるごみ / 可燃ごみ: moeru gomi / kanen gomi. What goes in: Burnable: food waste, paper cups, tissues, wrappers.
燃えないごみ / 不燃ごみ: moenai gomi / funen gomi. What goes in: Non-burnable: metal, ceramics, broken glass.
ペットボトル: petto botoru. What goes in: PET plastic drink bottles (empty).
かん・びん / 缶・瓶: kan / bin. What goes in: Cans and glass bottles.
プラスチック / プラ: purasuchikku. What goes in: Plastic packaging (some places).
新聞・雑誌: shinbun / zasshi. What goes in: Newspapers and magazines.
PET bottles, done properly: empty it, take the cap off and put the cap in the burnable or plastic slot, and if there's a separate label section, peel off the label. Rules for caps and labels differ by city, so follow the pictures on the bin. When in doubt, empty bottle in the PET slot, cap in burnable.
Worked example: a day in Asakusa and Ueno
You leave the hotel at 09:00 and return at 19:00. Here's what you'll throw away and where.
09:15 — Konbini coffee cup and sandwich wrapper. Where it goes: The same konbini's bins, before you walk on.
11:00 — Melon-pan bag from a Nakamise street stall. Where it goes: Back to the stall, or into your bag; no bins on the temple approach.
13:00 — Two 500 ml PET bottles. Where it goes: Recycling box next to the nearest vending machine, empty, with the caps off and kept in your bag.
15:30 — Ice-cream stick and tissue in Ueno Park. Where it goes: Your bag; park bins are few.
17:00 — Can of tea on the Ginza Line platform. Where it goes: Your bag; don't count on a platform bin.
19:00 — Everything left in your bag. Where it goes: Your hotel room bin.
Totals: 8 items; 4 kinds of bin used (konbini, stall, recycling box, hotel), or 3 if the stall has no bin; and 3 items (or 4, if the stall has no bin) carried back to the hotel, along with the two bottle caps. A 20 cm × 25 cm zip bag holds the lot.
At your hotel
The room bin takes ordinary rubbish. Many hotels have two or three small bins marked for burnable, cans and bottles, and PET; use them if they're there.
Housekeeping empties them during cleaning. If you've opted out of daily cleaning, there's no standard rule: some hotels ask you to leave the bag outside the door, others to bring it to the front desk. Ask at check-in.
In an apartment rental, sorting rules are strict and collection days are fixed. Follow the host's printed instructions, and never put rubbish out on the wrong day.
Don't leave food rubbish in a hot room overnight in summer; take it to the lobby bins if there are any.
Your next step
1. Before leaving the hotel tomorrow, put a small zip bag or folded plastic bag in your day bag.
2. Drop wrappers at the konbini where you buy them, and drink bottles and cans in the recycling box beside the vending machine.
3. Empty the rest into your room bin each evening.
Key facts, checked 11 October 2026
Visitors naming "few bins" as a trip problem: 17.2%, top item (down 4.7 points) (survey published 28 April 2026).
Survey sample and dates: 4,110 departing visitors at 5 airports; 18 November 2025 to 13 January 2026.
Non-container waste in vending recycling boxes: About 30% (industry release, 29 September 2022).
Kyoto smart bins: 37 bins at 18 sites after the 22 June 2026 installation.
Chiyoda Ward street-smoking and littering fine: Up to ¥20,000; currently ¥2,000, on the spot; 8,862 fines in FY2025.
Gion shopping-street common bins: From 1 November 2025, at more than 20 shops.
Sources for this section: Japan Tourism Agency, survey on the reception environment for foreign visitors (28 April 2026) · Japan Tourism Agency, press release PDF · Japan Soft Drink Association (全国清涼飲料連合会) and partner industry body, new standard recycling box (29 September 2022) · Kyoto City, additional smart bin installation (16 June 2026) · Chiyoda City, Living Environment Ordinance FAQ (fines; Japanese) · Kyoto City Environmental Policy Bureau, autumn 2025 littering measures (20 October 2025)
Questions about this guide
Why are there no bins on Japanese streets?
Security, cost and a strong habit of taking rubbish home. Bins were cleared from Tokyo subway stations after the 1995 sarin attack and again after the 2004–2005 train bombings in Europe, and open street bins attract household rubbish. Too few bins was the most common problem in the Japan Tourism Agency's 2025–2026 visitor survey, at 17.2%.
Can I put rubbish in a vending-machine box?
Only empty drink bottles and cans. Those boxes are for recycling, and the drinks industry says about 30% of their contents is waste that doesn't belong there. Wrappers, cups and food go elsewhere.
Will a konbini let me use their bin?
For items you bought there, yes. For a full bag from elsewhere, it's considered rude, and some shops post signs refusing it.
Is it illegal to litter in Japan?
Yes. Article 16 of the Waste Management Act bans dumping waste (maximum penalty: 5 years' imprisonment, a ¥10 million fine, or both), and many cities also have street-littering bylaws. Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward is one example. Smoking or dropping a cigarette end on any road in the ward carries a fine of up to ¥20,000, currently set at ¥2,000; ward staff on daily patrols issue it, and you pay in cash on the spot or later with a payment slip. The ward issued 8,862 of these fines in the year to March 2026. In its designated clean-up districts, dropping cans or other rubbish in a way that seriously harms the street can also bring a fine of up to ¥20,000 (as of 11 October 2026).
What about cigarette butts?
Smoking on the street is banned in many central districts. Use designated smoking areas, which have ashtrays, and carry a pocket ashtray.
Official pages for this guide
The rules in this guide come from the official pages below. Japan, Booked. does not book or submit requests on your behalf.
- Japan Tourism Agency, survey on the reception environment for foreign visitors (28 April 2026)
- Japan Tourism Agency, press release PDF
- Japan Tourism Agency, detailed results PDF
- Japan Soft Drink Association (全国清涼飲料連合会) and partner industry body, new standard recycling box (29 September 2022)
- Kyoto City Environmental Policy Bureau, autumn 2025 littering measures (20 October 2025)
- Kyoto City, additional smart bin installation (16 June 2026)
- Bureau of Transportation, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Toei), removal of station bins (notice for 9 May 2022)
- Japan Soft Drink Association, recycling box Q&A
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, manners by area
- Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act (e-Gov)
- Chiyoda City, Living Environment Ordinance FAQ (fines; Japanese)
- Chiyoda City, ordinance outline (daily patrols; Japanese)
- Chiyoda City, street-smoking fines by year (updated 25 June 2026; Japanese)
- Norimono News, how the 1995 sarin attack changed stations (19 March 2025; Japanese)
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Sources and how this guide was checked
Published · Based on official sources · no affiliate links
Official sources
These official sources explain the rules and conditions used in this guide. Live availability and your own booking, admission or service outcome still need to be confirmed for your trip.
- Japan Tourism Agency, survey on the reception environment for foreign visitors (28 April 2026)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Visitors naming "few bins" as a trip problem.
Last checked - Japan Tourism Agency, press release PDF
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Survey sample and dates.
Last checked - Japan Tourism Agency, detailed results PDF
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Japan Soft Drink Association (全国清涼飲料連合会) and partner industry body, new standard recycling box (29 September 2022)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Non-container waste in vending recycling boxes.
Last checked - Kyoto City Environmental Policy Bureau, autumn 2025 littering measures (20 October 2025)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Gion shopping-street common bins.
Last checked - Kyoto City, additional smart bin installation (16 June 2026)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Kyoto smart bins.
Last checked - Bureau of Transportation, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Toei), removal of station bins (notice for 9 May 2022)
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Japan Soft Drink Association, recycling box Q&A
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Kyoto City Tourism Association, manners by area
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act (e-Gov)
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Chiyoda City, Living Environment Ordinance FAQ (fines; Japanese)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Chiyoda Ward street-smoking and littering fine.
Last checked - Chiyoda City, ordinance outline (daily patrols; Japanese)
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Chiyoda City, street-smoking fines by year (updated 25 June 2026; Japanese)
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Norimono News, how the 1995 sarin attack changed stations (19 March 2025; Japanese)
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked
About this guide
Why Japan has so few bins, where to find them (konbini, vending machines, your hotel), what the sorting labels mean, and a day plan for your rubbish.
Checked against the Japan Tourism Agency, Kyoto City, the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Chiyoda City, the Japan Soft Drink Association and e-Gov on 11 October 2026. For the wider manners picture, see everyday etiquette in Japan. Japan, Booked. is independent and this page has no affiliate links.
How we checked this
Sources and limits of this guide
These dated notes show what each source supports, and what you still need to check yourself.
If columns are cut off, scroll sideways. Keyboard: focus the table, then use Left/Right Arrow keys.
| Question | What we found | Where it comes from | What this means for your trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitors naming "few bins" as a trip problem | 17.2%, top item (down 4.7 points) | Japan Tourism Agency, survey on the reception environment for foreign visitors (28 April 2026) | Checked 11 October 2026; survey published 28 April 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Survey sample and dates | 4,110 departing visitors at 5 airports; 18 November 2025 to 13 January 2026 | Japan Tourism Agency, press release PDF | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Non-container waste in vending recycling boxes | About 30% | Japan Soft Drink Association (全国清涼飲料連合会) and partner industry body, new standard recycling box (29 September 2022) | Checked 11 October 2026; industry release, 29 September 2022. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Kyoto smart bins | 37 bins at 18 sites after the 22 June 2026 installation | Kyoto City, additional smart bin installation (16 June 2026) | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Chiyoda Ward street-smoking and littering fine | Up to ¥20,000; currently ¥2,000, on the spot; 8,862 fines in FY2025 | Chiyoda City, Living Environment Ordinance FAQ (fines; Japanese) | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Gion shopping-street common bins | From 1 November 2025, at more than 20 shops | Kyoto City Environmental Policy Bureau, autumn 2025 littering measures (20 October 2025) | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
Based on official sources, linked below.
Guide updates Reviewed
When this guide was checked and what changed
- First published
- Last checked
- Check again by
- What we checked
- Japan Tourism Agency, Japan Soft Drink Association, Kyoto City Environmental Policy Bureau, Kyoto City, Bureau of Transportation, Kyoto City Tourism Association, Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act, Chiyoda City and Norimono News, checked 11 October 2026.
- Latest update
- : First published: the three places that reliably have bins, how sorting works, what to do at your hotel and a worked day of rubbish, checked against official pages on 11 October 2026.
The date above reflects when these checks were last run. If an individual source was rechecked later, you’ll see that date next to it below. Other copy edits are listed in the update history.
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What changed
Update history
- First published
First published: the three places that reliably have bins, how sorting works, what to do at your hotel and a worked day of rubbish, checked against official pages on 11 October 2026.
If an operator, organiser or product changes in a way that affects the guide, we check it again sooner. Reader reports help us spot what to investigate, and we verify them against current official information before publishing. Read our update and corrections policy. See every guide's review schedule. Suggest an improvement to this guide.