[English / Japanese] Things that Surprised International Students When They Came to Japan: Trash Japanese cities are famous around the world for their cleanliness and the lack of litter on the streets. Why is that? Japan has many rules about garbage. These rules often cause problems between foreign students and local residents. In this article, I will introduce the rules about garbage. No trash cans! Japanese people who take their trash home One thing that frustrates foreign tourists in Japan is the lack of trash cans. Where do you throw away the tissue you used to blow your nose, or the candy wrapper after a snack? Japanese people put small trash in a pocket in their bag and dispose of it at home. Many people with young children also carry plastic bags for trash in their bags. Some shopping malls and convenience stores have public trash cans anyone can use. When sightseeing, it might be a good idea to note where you can throw away trash. How many types of trash should I separate? How to separate garbage When you first start living in Japan, one of the first confusions is how to separate garbage. Let’s look at the separation rules in Hachioji, Tokyo. Combustible trash, non-combustible trash, hazardous waste, plastic containers and packaging, magazines, paper packs, newspapers, cardboard, empty bottles, empty cans, PET bottles, used cloth, oversized waste… New international students are surprised by how many categories there are. Each category also has rules. For example, you cannot throw away PET bottles as they are. The cap and label must be disposed of as plastic waste, while the bottle must be washed and crushed and put in the PET bottle collection. Also, you should not throw away garbage every day but on designated days at designated locations. In some areas you must also follow a set time for disposal. The rules vary by municipality. For example, in Hachioji you must buy designated garbage bags at supermarkets. What do you think? There are so many rules for garbage disposal, aren’t there? In fact, separation rules are so complicated that even Japanese people make mistakes. Many foreign students who do not understand the rules and dispose of trash carelessly end up in disputes with other residents and sometimes have to move. To avoid this, first get a garbage calendar from the city office and follow it. If you are unsure, ask a Japanese person. They are usually willing to kindly teach international students who are making an effort to sort their trash. Did you learn about the garbage rules? By the way, our school requires students to live in the school dormitory for six months. During that time, the school teaches about garbage. If you do not know how to dispose of or separate garbage, you can email the teacher in charge. By learning about garbage for six months, you can avoid trouble even after graduating. If you can separate garbage naturally, your life as an international student will go more smoothly. What surprised international students when they came to Japan — Garbage edition — Japanese cities are famous worldwide for being clean and for streets without litter. Why is that? Japan has many rules regarding garbage. These rules often cause international students to have frequent disputes with residents. This time, I will introduce the rules about garbage. There are no trash cans! Japanese people take their trash home A problem for foreign tourists coming to Japan is that there are few trash cans. Where do you throw away a tissue you used to blow your nose or a candy wrapper you put in your mouth when you were a little hungry? Japanese people put small pieces of trash into a pocket in their bag and take them home to throw away. Also, people with small children often carry a plastic bag for trash in their bag. Some shopping malls and convenience stores provide trash cans anyone can use. When sightseeing, it might be good to check in advance where trash can be thrown away. How many categories should you separate into? Garbage sorting methods One of the first things that confuses people when they start living in Japan is garbage sorting. Let’s look at Hachioji City, Tokyo’s sorting categories. Combustible garbage, non-combustible garbage, hazardous garbage, container and packaging plastics, magazines, paper packs, newspapers, cardboard, empty bottles, empty cans, PET bottles, old cloth, bulky waste… Students who have just arrived in Japan are surprised by the many types of sorting. Each category has rules. For example, you must not throw away PET bottles as they are. Caps and labels are plastic waste; bottles must be washed, crushed, and placed in PET bottle collection. Furthermore, you should not throw away garbage every day; you must bring it to the designated place on the designated day. Depending on where you live, the time for disposal may also be set. And the rules change depending on the municipality. For example, Hachioji requires you to buy designated garbage bags at supermarkets. How is it? There are too many rules for garbage disposal, aren’t there? In fact, garbage sorting is so complex that even Japanese people make mistakes. Many international students who do not understand the sorting rules and throw away garbage arbitrarily end up in fights with other residents and have to move out. To prevent this, first get a garbage calendar at city hall and throw away garbage according to it. If you do not understand, you may ask a Japanese person. I think they will kindly teach international students who are trying to sort their garbage. Were you able to learn about the garbage rules? By the way, this school requires students to live in the school dormitory for six months. During that time, the school gives guidance about garbage. If you do not know how to throw away or sort garbage, you can email the teacher in charge to ask. By thoroughly learning about garbage for six months, you can avoid troubles even after graduating. If you can naturally sort garbage, your study abroad life will go well.