Sodai Gomi in Tokyo: Pickup, Tickets & Fees (2026)

Short answer: Sodai gomi (粗大ごみ) means bulky or oversized household waste. In many Tokyo wards, an item with any side longer than 30 cm must be booked for paid collection instead of being put out with ordinary rubbish. Measure the item, reserve collection with your ward, pay the exact fee shown in the reservation, label every item, and place it at the instructed ground-floor pickup point by the stated time—often 8:00 a.m. Rules and fees are local, so do not treat one ward's price list as a nationwide rule.[^1]

✅ The one rule that prevents most mistakes: book first and buy tickets second. The reservation tells you whether the item is accepted, what it is called in the municipal system, the collection date, and the exact amount to pay.

Is it sodai gomi? Use this quick check

Your item	What to do
Furniture or household equipment over your municipality's size limit	Reserve municipal sodai gomi collection
Air conditioner, television, refrigerator/freezer, washing machine or clothes dryer	Use the retailer or Home Appliance Recycling route—not sodai gomi
A usable item in safe condition	Consider a reuse shop, giveaway or municipal reuse service first
Business or office waste	Arrange a licensed commercial-waste service; household collection does not apply
An unusual, very heavy or hazardous item	Ask the municipality before paying or moving it

Tokyo's 30 cm rule is common, but it is not universal. Shibuya defines bulky household waste as an item with a side longer than 30 cm.[^1] Chiba City instead asks whether the item fits fully inside its designated rubbish bag with the bag tied shut.[^5] Always begin with the municipality where the rubbish was produced.

How to dispose of sodai gomi in five steps

1. Measure and identify every item

Measure the longest side and, for furniture, the next-longest side. Note whether a bed listing means the frame, mattress or both: they are usually separate reservation items and can have different fees.

Take a photo before dismantling anything. If the item name is missing from the online list, call or use the municipality's chat service rather than selecting the closest-looking category.

2. Book pickup before your move-out date

Use the official website or reception centre for your ward or city. You will normally provide:

• your address and contact details;
• the item name, dimensions and quantity;
• your preferred collection date; and
• the building or ground-floor collection point.

Book as soon as your move-out date is confirmed. Capacity becomes tighter around March and April, at year-end and after long holidays. Setagaya specifically warns that its lines are busier during the spring moving season.[^4]

3. Pay the exact amount in your reservation

The traditional method is to buy ward- or city-specific paid disposal tickets at an approved convenience store or retailer. Ask for:

粗大ごみ処理券をください。

Sodai gomi shori-ken o kudasai.

“Please give me bulky-waste disposal tickets.”

Show the reservation amount rather than expecting the cashier to identify your furniture. In Shibuya, an A ticket is ¥200 and a B ticket is ¥300; combinations make up the required fee.[^3] Other cities use different ticket values. Some municipalities now offer online payment: Shibuya permits cashless payment when its timing conditions are met, and Setagaya supports online payment for internet or chatbot reservations.[^1][^4]

4. Label every separate item

Write the collection date plus the name or reservation number requested by your municipality. Attach the correct value securely to a visible surface on each item.

If you paid online, follow the booking instructions for a paper label. Shibuya asks cashless customers to attach a clearly written collection date and name or application number to every item.[^1]

5. Put it at the correct pickup point

Follow the confirmation, not the ordinary rubbish sign. In Shibuya, bulky waste is collected from the residence; apartment residents must bring it to the roadside at ground level, and items should be out by 8:00 a.m.[^1][^2]

🔑 Apartment warning: municipal crews normally do not enter the building or carry a sofa down from an upper floor. Confirm the exact spot with the building manager and arrange help before collection day if you cannot move the item safely.

Tokyo sodai gomi fee examples

Fees depend on the municipality, item and size. These are Shibuya examples, checked against the official fee list in August 2026—not Tokyo-wide fixed prices.[^3]

Item in Shibuya	Current example fee	Ticket combination
Chair, excluding sofa	¥400	2 × A
Thin or lightweight folding mattress	¥400	2 × A
Bed mattress / legged mattress	¥1,300	2 × A + 3 × B
Table under 1 m on its longest side	¥400	2 × A
Table 1 m to under 1.5 m	¥900	3 × B
Single bed frame, mattress excluded	¥1,300	2 × A + 3 × B
One-person sofa	¥900	3 × B
Sofa for two or more people	¥2,300	1 × A + 7 × B

The old shortcut “a mattress costs about ¥1,200–¥2,000” is not reliable. A thin folding mattress and a spring bed mattress can fall into different categories, and the city may require a different disposal route entirely.

Tokyo and Chiba are not the same system

Chiba City currently groups many bulky-waste fees into ¥390, ¥780, ¥1,170 and ¥1,560 tiers.[^6] It also excludes products containing coil or pocket springs—including some mattresses, chairs and sofas—from municipal bulky-waste collection.[^6] This is why you must use the local list even if a Tokyo guide gives a familiar item name.

Official booking and fee pages

Area	Start here	Useful detail
Shibuya City	English garbage and large-sized trash guide	English overview, phone number and pickup rules
Shibuya City	Official sodai gomi procedure	Application, cashless rules and current English PDF
Shibuya City	Official item and fee list	Check the exact item, size and ticket combination
Shinjuku City	Official bulky-waste instructions	Current pickup steps, booking link and ticket information
Nakano City	Official bulky-waste instructions	Advance booking, accepted items, fees and ticket rules
Setagaya City	Official bulky-waste instructions	Online booking, chatbot, payment and multilingual phone support
Yokohama City	Official oversized-garbage guide	Pickup, self-delivery, electronic payment and fee information
Yokohama City	English-capable online reception	Apply online and check Yokohama's different size thresholds
Chiba City	English everyday-life guidance	English explanation and reception-centre number
Chiba City	Official bulky-waste guide	Booking, item exceptions and current fees

If your municipality is not listed, search its official website for 粗大ごみ + your ward/city name. Avoid unofficial collection ads until you have checked the municipal route and confirmed that any private operator is properly licensed.

Items that municipal sodai gomi does not collect

The four Home Appliance Recycling categories

Japan's Home Appliance Recycling Act covers:

• air conditioners;
• televisions;
• refrigerators and freezers; and
• washing machines and clothes dryers.

These normally go through the retailer that sold the old appliance, the retailer delivering a replacement, or the area's designated appliance-recycling route. Consumers pay recycling and usually transport/collection costs.[^7] Do not buy sodai gomi tickets for these appliances.

Other common exceptions

Local exclusions can include computers, motorcycles, tyres, pianos, fireproof safes, batteries, chemicals, construction materials and very heavy objects. Spring-filled furniture is also treated differently in some cities. The correct answer depends on the municipality and item construction.

Mattress disposal: the question most movers get wrong

Before booking, identify which of these you have:

1. Thin futon or foldable pad: may be a low-fee bulky item or may follow a local textile rule.
2. Foam mattress: usually booked by size or as a bed mattress.
3. Coil or pocket-spring mattress: accepted in some Tokyo wards but excluded by some cities, including Chiba City.[^6]
4. Bed frame plus mattress: normally two separate reservation items.

Do not cut open a spring mattress. Photograph the label, measure it and ask the reception centre if the category is unclear.

Move-out checklist

• List everything that will not leave with you.
• Separate reusable items from waste.
• Measure furniture, mattresses and appliances.
• Check the rules for your current ward or city.
• Reserve before choosing tickets or a private collector.
• Save the confirmation number and collection date.
• Confirm the ground-floor placement point with building management.
• Arrange help for stairs, lifts and heavy items.
• Attach the exact label or ticket to every item.
• Photograph the labelled items at the pickup point.
• Complete disposal before the lease handover inspection.

That final photo is useful if an item is moved, a label falls off, or the landlord later asks whether the disposal was completed.

Useful Japanese phrases

Japanese	Meaning
粗大ごみ	Bulky / oversized waste
粗大ごみ受付センター	Bulky-waste reception centre
粗大ごみ処理券	Paid bulky-waste disposal ticket
収集日	Collection date
受付番号 / 申請番号	Reception / application number
この品目は粗大ごみですか？	Is this item bulky waste?
料金はいくらですか？	How much is the fee?
どこに出せばいいですか？	Where should I put it out?

Mistakes that lead to missed collection or move-out charges

• Leaving furniture at the ordinary rubbish cage without a reservation.
• Buying generic-looking tickets from the wrong ward or city.
• Paying for one item but placing out two separate pieces.
• Treating the frame and mattress as a single reservation.
• Writing no date or reservation identifier on the ticket.
• Leaving the item inside the lobby or on an upper floor.
• Assuming a television, refrigerator or washing machine is ordinary bulky waste.
• Booking too late and expecting collection before key handover.

If the municipal collection date is after your lease ends, ask the landlord or management company before leaving anything on the property. Written permission matters; otherwise removal and storage may be charged against your deposit. See our Japan move-out and deposit guide for the rest of the handover checklist.

💡 Still looking for your next home? Affarah helps international renters and buyers search current properties in Tokyo and Chiba—not only the few homes shown online. Tell us your budget, timing and preferred area, and Ibuki can help you build a realistic shortlist.

FAQ

What does sodai gomi mean?

Sodai gomi (粗大ごみ) means bulky or oversized waste. The exact size test and accepted items are set by the local municipality, so the Tokyo 30 cm rule should not be assumed everywhere in Japan.

Where do I buy a sodai gomi ticket?

After reserving collection, buy the exact value of local bulky-waste tickets at an approved convenience store or retailer in that ward or city. Some municipalities also offer online payment. Do not buy tickets before the reservation confirms the fee.

Can I put sodai gomi out the night before?

Follow the collection confirmation and your building rules. Shibuya requires the item at the instructed ground-floor location by 8:00 a.m. on collection day. Many buildings discourage leaving furniture outside overnight.

Can I dispose of a mattress as sodai gomi?

Often, but the category depends on its construction and location. Thin folding mattresses, foam mattresses and spring mattresses may have different fees or routes. Chiba City, for example, excludes products containing coil or pocket springs from its municipal bulky-waste service.

Can I book sodai gomi collection in English?

Options vary. Shibuya publishes English guidance, Setagaya's phone service supports multilingual interpretation, and Chiba City provides English living guidance. Use the official local page or reception centre listed above.

Will the collection crew carry furniture downstairs?

Usually not. Shibuya tells apartment residents to bring bulky waste to the roadside at ground level. Confirm the exact location with your building manager and arrange private carrying help if needed.

What happens if I leave furniture behind when moving out?

The landlord or management company may arrange removal and charge the cost to you or deduct it from the deposit. Complete disposal before handing back the keys and keep confirmation photos.

Related Affarah guides

• Garbage rules in Japan: the renter's guide
• Moving out in Japan: how to protect your deposit
• Furnishing a Japanese apartment on a budget
• Get matched with current properties

[^1]: Shibuya City, “Bulky Waste / 粗大ごみ,” updated June 1, 2026. https://www.city.shibuya.tokyo.jp/kurashi/gomi/kateigomi/gomi_sodai.html
[^2]: Shibuya City, “Garbage and Recycling — Large-sized trash.” https://www.city.shibuya.tokyo.jp/contents/living-in-shibuya/en/daily/garbage.html
[^3]: Shibuya City, “Bulky Waste Item Fee List / 粗大ごみ品目手数料一覧.” https://www.city.shibuya.tokyo.jp/kurashi/gomi/kateigomi/sibuyaku_sodaitesuuryou.html
[^4]: Setagaya City, “How to Dispose of Bulky Waste / 粗大ごみの出し方.” https://www.city.setagaya.lg.jp/02241/online_tetsuzuki/380.html
[^5]: Chiba City, “Everyday Life — Garbage.” https://www.city.chiba.jp/shimin/shimin/kokusai/gb-en-kurashi.html
[^6]: Chiba City, “Bulky Waste Disposal and Fee Guide / 粗大ごみの出し方・処理手数料一覧.” https://www.city.chiba.jp/kankyo/junkan/shushugyomu/sodaigomi.html
[^7]: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, “Act on Recycling of Specified Home Appliances.” https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/recycle/main/english/law/home.html