Guidance on garbage collection in Kobe

Post date: Wednesday, June 7, 2017

In Japan, how to dispose garbage depends on the area you live in. Here we inform you, how to dispose trash, how to get rid of oversized garbage, and how to dispose or sell furniture and home appliances when leaving Japan for foreigners residing in Kobe-city.

Guideline issued by Kobe City

Please separate your garbage accordingly and take the trash out during 5:00-8:00 in the morning of the specified date. Crows tend to scatter the garbage when garbage is put out the night before.

*This does not apply if your apartment has a 24 hour garbage station.

Rules of sorting and putting our garbage and recyclables

Garbage Bag designated by Kobe City

You can buy it at a supermarket or a convenient store.

Oversized garbage

For oversized garbage, it is slightly complicated for foreigner.

What are oversized garbage?

・Items too large for 45L designated bags to be fastened.

・Items that fit in 45L designated bags but whose individual weight is 5kg or more.

※ Neither items provided by Household Appliance Recycling Law (TV, air-conditioner, refrigerator, freezer, washing machine, and clothing dryer) nor PCs are accepted as oversized garbage. These appliances are collected and recycled by manufacturers via retail stores and PCs are recycled by manufacturers.

Reservation is required for pick up and you need to pay a fee.

1. Apply

  • Make a reservation in English by calling the Kobe city Oversized Garbage Reception Center:
  • Phone: 078-392-7953

2. Pay a handling fee

Pay a handling fee and obtain City of Kobe Oversized garbage sticker.

The stickers are available at the stores with the mark below.

3. Dispose your oversized garbage

Attach the sticker to each item and take out the item to the specific location.

Selling your furniture

When leaving Japan, there is a cheap way to sell furniture and home appliances to people who need it. An English web-site named Sayonara Sale below provides specialized pages for such sales.

Sayonara Sale or GaijinPot Classifieds