How to Throw Away Furniture in Japan (Sodai Gomi): Step-by-Step

What counts as bulky waste

In Japan you can't just leave an old sofa next to the regular trash. Large items are collected separately as 粗大ごみ (sodai gomi), meaning bulky waste. You book the collection in advance, pay a small fee per item, and put the item out on a specific morning.

The exact definition is set by each city, but many use a size rule: anything with one side longer than about 30 cm, or anything that won't fit in the official trash bag [VERIFY: typical size threshold; varies by city]. Common examples:

• Furniture: beds, mattresses, sofas, desks, chairs, shelves, wardrobes.
• Household items: futons, carpets, bicycles, suitcases, large fans, heaters.
• Some small appliances that are too big for regular bags, such as microwaves or vacuum cleaners, depending on your city.

Four big appliances are not sodai gomi: TVs, fridges and freezers, washing machines and dryers, and air-conditioners. They follow a separate national recycling system, covered below.

Step 1: Check your city's rules

Everything depends on where you live. Rules are set by your city, 市 (shi), or in Tokyo by your ward, 区 (ku), so a friend's advice from another city may not apply to you.

1. Search for your city's name plus 粗大ごみ. Most cities have a page explaining the process, sometimes with an English or multilingual version.
2. Find the garbage guide you were given when you moved in. Many cities hand out a sorting booklet or a garbage calendar, ごみカレンダー (gomi karendā).
3. Check whether your city has a garbage sorting app. Several offer English menus and reminders [VERIFY: which cities offer English garbage apps].
4. Look for the fee list. Fees usually depend on the item and its size, and are often listed item by item.

If you rent, ask your property manager too. Some buildings have their own rules about where and when bulky items can be left, and some landlords prefer to arrange disposal themselves.

Step 2: Book the collection

You'll book through your city's bulky waste reception center, 粗大ごみ受付センター (sodai gomi uketsuke sentā). Many cities take bookings in two ways:

• Online: a booking form where you pick items from a list and choose a date. These are often Japanese only, though browser translation can help.
• By phone: you call the center, list your items, and they give you a collection date, a reception number and the fee for each item.

Book early. Collection dates can fill up, especially in March and April when many people move [VERIFY: typical wait times in busy months]. Have this ready before you start:

1. Your address, including building name and room number.
2. Your name and a phone number.
3. A list of each item with rough dimensions and material (wood, metal, fabric).
4. Two or three dates that work for you.

Write down the reception number, 受付番号 (uketsuke bangō). You'll need it for the stickers. If you'd rather skip the call, our bulky waste collection service books it for you in Japanese.

Step 3: Buy the stickers

Most cities collect the fee through prepaid stickers or tickets, 粗大ごみ処理券 (sodai gomi shori-ken). You usually buy them at convenience stores, supermarkets or other shops displaying a sign for them.

1. Ask the cashier for your city's bulky waste sticker and say the amount you need. Stickers often come in fixed amounts, so you may combine several for one item.
2. Write your reception number, or your name, on each sticker, following your city's instructions.
3. Stick it somewhere clearly visible on each item.

Stickers are specific to each city, so a sticker bought in a neighboring city won't work [VERIFY: confirm stickers are city-specific]. Some cities use online payment instead of stickers.

Step 4: Put items out

1. Put the items out on the morning of your collection day, usually by around 8:00 or 8:30 [VERIFY: typical cut-off time].
2. Use the spot you were told when booking. It's often in front of your building or at your usual garbage point, but not always.
3. Don't put items out the night before unless your city allows it. Neighbors and building managers notice.
4. Collectors don't come inside your home, and you usually don't need to be there.

Items without a sticker, or the wrong sticker, are often left behind with a warning note. If that happens, check the note, fix the problem, and contact the center to rebook.

Appliances that follow recycling rules

TVs, fridges and freezers, washing machines and dryers, and air-conditioners are covered by Japan's Home Appliance Recycling Law, 家電リサイクル法 (kaden risaikuru-hō). Cities don't collect them as sodai gomi. Your usual options are:

1. Ask the shop where you bought it, or the shop selling your replacement. Shops often take the old one away when they deliver a new one.
2. Pay the recycling fee yourself at a post office, then take the appliance to a designated collection point [VERIFY: current process and fees].
3. Ask your city for a list of licensed collectors in your area.

Fees vary by manufacturer and size, plus any transport charge. Be careful with trucks driving around offering “free” collection. Some ask for high fees after loading, and some aren't licensed. Many cities warn residents about them.

Computers are separate again: many manufacturers take back old PCs, and some cities have collection boxes for small electronics.

Moving-out tips

Leaving Japan, or just moving apartments, is when bulky waste catches most people out.

• Book three to four weeks ahead in spring. Collection dates near the end of March can fill up fast.
• Sell or give away first. Recycle shops, local marketplace apps and community groups for international residents are good places to find a new home for furniture.
• Check your lease. Some contracts say the apartment must be empty, and the landlord may charge for anything left behind.
• Plan the order. Book your collection before your final cleaning and key handover, and keep the reception number handy.
• Send boxes ahead. Couriers can deliver suitcases and boxes to the airport or your next address. Our guide on sending luggage to the airport in Japan explains how.