Throwing away a sofa in Japan?
Here's what it costs.
Big items — sofas, beds, bicycles, furniture — are "oversized garbage" (粗大ごみ, sodai gomi). You have to book a pickup and pay a fee. Rules differ by city, and most official pages are in Japanese. We put them in plain English, item by item.
How it works (almost everywhere)
- BookApply online or by phone. Phone lines are usually Japanese-only, so online booking is easier if your city has it.
- Buy a ticketBuy an oversized-waste ticket (粗大ごみ処理券) for the fee — usually at a convenience store — write your name or booking number on it and stick it on the item.
- Put it outOn the collection day, put the item at the spot you were told, early in the morning (often by 8:00).
Look up an item
- Sofa
- Bed frame
- Mattress
- Bicycle
- Chest of drawers / bookshelf
- Futon
- Table
- Chair
- Microwave
- Vacuum cleaner
- Carpet / rug
- Electric fan
- Heater / stove
- Stroller
Find your city
Tokyo
Things newcomers often miss
- Air conditioners, TVs, fridges and washing machines can't go out as oversized garbage anywhere in Japan — they fall under the appliance recycling law (家電リサイクル法) and go back through a shop or a designated route.
- Computers are also excluded in most cities; manufacturers and government-certified collectors take them.
- March–April is moving season: pickups can be booked out 2–3 weeks ahead. Book as soon as you know your moving date.
- Trucks driving around announcing "free collection" often turn out to be unlicensed and may charge a lot on the spot. The city's own service is the cheapest official option.