[English/Japanese] Things that Surprised International Students When They Came to Japan: Trash Japanese cities are famous around the world for their cleanliness and lack of litter on the streets. Why is that? In Japan, there are many rules regarding garbage. In addition, foreign students often get into trouble with residents because of this. In this article, I will introduce the rules regarding garbage. No trash cans! Japanese who take their trash home One of the most annoying things for foreign tourists when they come to Japan is that there are no trash cans. Where should you throw away the tissue you blew your nose with, or the candy wrapper you put in your mouth when you got hungry? When Japanese people have small trash, they put it in a pocket in their bag and throw it away when they get home. Also, many people with small children carry plastic bags for garbage in their bags. Some shopping malls and convenience stores have trash cans that anyone can throw away. When sightseeing, it might be a good idea to check the places where garbage can be thrown away with you. How many kinds of garbage should I separate? How to separate garbage When you first start living in Japan, one of the first things that confuses you is how to separate garbage. Let's take a look at the garbage separation in Hachioji City, Tokyo. Combustible trash, non-combustible trash, toxic trash, plastic containers and wrapping, magazines, paper packs, newspapers, cardboard, empty bottles, empty cans, plastic bottles, used cloth, oversize trash.... International students who have just arrived in Japan are surprised by the many types of garbage separation. Also, there are rules for each type of garbage. For example, PET bottles should not be thrown away as they are. The cap and label must be disposed of as plastic waste, while the bottle must be washed and crushed to become plastic bottle garbage. Furthermore, garbage should not be thrown away every day, but on the designated day of the week at the designated place. Depending on where you live, you may also have a set time to throw it away. And the rules change depending on the local government. For example, in Hachioji City, you have to buy the designated garbage bags at the supermarket. What do you think? There are so many rules for garbage disposal, aren't there? In fact, garbage separation is so complicated that even Japanese people make mistakes. Many foreign students who don't understand the rules of trash separation and throw away their trash randomly get into fights with other residents and have to move out. To prevent this from happening, first get a garbage calendar from the city hall and dispose of your garbage according to it. If you are not sure, you can ask a Japanese person. I'm sure he or she will be kind enough to help international students who are making an effort to sort out their garbage. Were you able to learn about the rules of garbage? By the way, our school requires us to live in the school dormitory for six months. And during that time, the school will teach you about garbage. If you don't know how to throw away or separate garbage, you can ask the teacher in charge by e-mail. By learning about garbage for six months, you will be able to stay trouble-free even after you graduate from school. If you are able to separate garbage naturally, you will be able to live well as an international student. What surprised international students when they came to Japan ~Garbage edition~ The city of Japan is famous in the world for its cleanliness and for the fact that there is no trash on the streets. Why? There are many rules regarding garbage in Japan. In addition, this causes problems for international students frequently. This time, I will introduce the rules regarding garbage. No trash cans! Japan people taking garbage home One of the problems that foreign tourists have when they come to Japan is that there are no trash cans. Where do you throw away the tissues you blew your nose and the candy wrappers you put in your mouth when you're hungry? If a small piece of garbage comes out, Japan people put it in their pocket in their bag and throw it away when they go home. Also, if you have small children, many people have plastic bags for garbage in their bags. Shopping malls and convenience stores sometimes have trash cans that anyone can throw away. When sightseeing, it may be a good idea to check the places where garbage can be thrown away together. How many types should I divide? How to separate garbage The first thing that confuses you when you start living in Japan is garbage sorting. Let's take a look at the segregation of Hachioji City, Tokyo. Combustible garbage, non-combustible garbage, hazardous garbage, containers and packaging plastics, magazines, paper cartons, newspapers, cardboard, empty bottles, empty cans, PET bottles, old cloth, bulky garbage... International students who have just arrived in Japan are surprised by the variety of sensible types. There are also rules for each fraction. For example, plastic bottles should not be thrown away as they are. Caps and labels become plastic garbage, and bottles are washed and crushed to become plastic bottle garbage. In addition, garbage should not be thrown away every day, it should be thrown in a designated place on a set day of the week. Also, depending on where you live, there may be a fixed time to throw it away. And the rules change depending on the local government. For example, in Hachioji City, designated garbage bags must be bought at supermarkets. How is it? There are too many rules for throwing away garbage, right? In fact, garbage separation is so complicated that even Japan people can make a mistake. There are many cases where international students who do not know the rules for separating garbage and throw it away appropriately get into a fight with other residents and have to move. To prevent this from happening, first get a trash calendar at the city hall and throw away the garbage according to it. And if you don't understand Japan you can ask people. I think they will teach you politely to international students who are trying to separate garbage. Did you find out about the garbage rules? By the way, our school has to live in the school dormitory for half a year. And in the meantime, we will conduct garbage instruction at school. If you don't know how to dispose of or sort garbage, you can ask your teacher by email. By learning about garbage for half a year, you can spend your time without trouble even after graduating from school. If you can sort garbage naturally, your study abroad life will go well.