Moving out · Practical guide
Find the disposal route for your furniture, request a collection date and confirm payment and where to put each item. Start with your municipality’s official service—or get support if a Japanese call is holding you up.
Direct answer
Check your municipality’s rules, then book collection.
Bulky waste is called 粗大ごみ (sodai gomi). Use the official waste guide for your current address to check whether each item qualifies, request an available collection date and confirm the fee, payment method and collection point.
Do not leave unwanted furniture at the regular rubbish point without instructions. Keep your booking confirmation and arrange to move the items to the specified place. Household air conditioners, TVs, refrigerators/freezers and washing machines/clothes dryers need a separate recycling route rather than ordinary bulky-waste collection.
01 · Prepare
Before you apply
- Make an item list. Note the name, quantity, dimensions and material of each item. Photos can help you describe it; the reception desk may ask for measurements.
- Check the correct category. Furniture, designated appliances, computers and other excluded items can have different routes. Size thresholds and accepted items vary by municipality.
- Choose your deadline. Have your move-out and departure dates ready. Ask for the next available collection date; do not assume same-day or next-day collection.
- Check access and lifting. Find out where items must be placed and arrange help to move them safely. Do not assume the collection team will enter your home or carry furniture downstairs.
- Have identifying details ready. Prepare your name, address, building and room, phone number or email, item list and preferred dates.
02 · Choose your next step
How would you like to handle it?
03 · Do it yourself
Use the service for your address.
Check the official guide before buying disposal stickers or moving anything outside. If you live elsewhere, search your city or ward’s official website for 粗大ごみ. An enquiry alone does not confirm a collection booking.
| Municipality | Official guide | Useful check |
|---|---|---|
| Shibuya City | Garbage and recycling (English) | Prior reservation and paid disposal tickets; the guide links to online applications |
| Shinjuku City | Garbage guide (English PDF) | Check the large-sized-waste section for booking, item details, tickets and collection instructions |
| Yokohama City | Oversized garbage (English) | Online or phone application; the reception center lists English support. Its enquiry email cannot be used to book collection |
| Other city or ward | Your municipality’s official waste guide | Confirm classification, available dates, fees, payment and the collection point |
These examples are not nationwide rules. Use the current instructions for your address and confirmed booking.
Ask whether your item qualifies
引っ越しのため、〇〇を処分したいです。大きさは幅〇〇センチ、奥行き〇〇センチ、高さ〇〇センチです。粗大ごみとして申し込めますか？
“I would like to dispose of [item] because I am moving. It is [width] cm wide, [depth] cm deep and [height] cm high. Can I apply for bulky-waste collection?”
Request a collection date before moving
住所は〇〇、〇〇マンション〇〇号室です。〇月〇日に退去するため、その前に回収を希望しています。予約できる日を教えてください。
“My address is [address], room [number] at [building]. I move out on [date] and would like collection before then. Please tell me which dates are available.”
Confirm the fee, payment and collection point
料金と支払い方法、必要な処理券の種類や金額を教えてください。当日は何時までに、どこに出せばよいですか？受付番号も確認したいです。
“Please explain the fee, payment method and the type or value of any disposal tickets required. By what time and where should I put the items on the day? I would also like to confirm the booking reference.”
Ask about an item that is not accepted
この品目が粗大ごみの対象外の場合、どの窓口や方法で処分すればよいか教えてください。
“If this item is not accepted as bulky waste, please tell me which contact or disposal method I should use.”
Before finishing, confirm these points.
- Which items and quantities were accepted
- The confirmed date and booking reference
- The total fee and correct payment or sticker instructions
- Where to place items, by what time and how to label them
- Whether you need to be present and who will move items outside
- How to change or cancel the booking
LifeAdmin · Japanese call support
Still blocked by the Japanese booking call?
LifeAdmin can contact one municipal reception center or designated organization, communicate one clear collection-related request and confirm the procedure or next step. You receive a written English summary of the result and any action still needed.
- ¥2,980 · one organization, one clear purpose
- Up to two call attempts
- Normally reviewed within one business day; calls during Japanese business hours
What we’ll need from you
- The organization’s name and official phone number
- Your name, full address, building and room
- Item names, quantities, dimensions and relevant photos or details
- Preferred dates, move-out or departure deadline and one clear request
- A previous booking reference, if available, and times when you can join for consent or verification
Provide details through the task form. The reception center may require direct confirmation from you or a separate application. Never send passwords, payment-card data or one-time codes.
Moving or leaving in less than 3 days? Use the official direct service first and explain your deadline. LifeAdmin may not be available in time, and collection slots may be full. Same-day completion or collection is not guaranteed.
Get help with this call →This is communication support. The ¥2,980 task does not include disposal fees, carrying, transport, collection or recycling. LifeAdmin does not negotiate disputes or guarantee acceptance or a collection date. You must complete required applications, payment and preparation; contacting a second organization is outside this task’s scope.
04 · Other disposal routes
Check excluded items and practical arrangements.
Refrigerators, TVs and other designated appliances
Shibuya’s official guide directs households to a separate recycling route for air conditioners, TVs, refrigerators/freezers, washing machines and clothes dryers. Ask the retailer or the municipal guide’s designated contact about collection, recycling and transportation charges. These are not ordinary bulky-waste items.
Computers and other excluded items
Check the municipality’s category guide for a computer, battery, hazardous item or anything not listed. Do not assume it can be included simply because it is large. Describe the item to the official desk if unclear.
If you cannot carry the item outside
Ask what assistance, if any, is available and whether you qualify. Yokohama lists a removal-assistance system for eligible residents; it is not a general carrying service. Arrange any other help separately and confirm the building’s access rules.
If collection is after your move-out
Ask the official service about available alternatives and confirm any arrangement with management before leaving items behind. Do not assume a later booking permits storage in a shared area. Any reuse or private collection needs separate confirmation of the service, fees and accepted items.
Keep the booking record
Save the accepted item list, date, payment instructions and reference. Follow the booking’s labeling and placement rules, and use the official change procedure if your items or dates change.
05 · Keep the next step clear
Is collection arranged?
Tick an item once it is arranged. The ticks apply to this visit.
Continue with your move-out tasks.
Questions
Bulky-waste collection questions
What counts as bulky waste?
Check the rules for your address. Size, material and item type matter, and some items have a separate recycling route. Do not apply another city’s threshold to your municipality.
Can I book online or in English?
Some municipalities offer online booking and multilingual support. Use the official links above and check which languages and procedures are currently available.
Can I leave furniture at the usual rubbish point?
Follow the confirmed collection instructions. The ordinary rubbish point may not be the bulky-waste collection point. Check with the municipality and building management before placing anything outside.
Will the team carry furniture from my apartment?
Do not assume so. Confirm the required placement and arrange safe carrying separately. Any municipal assistance can have eligibility and application conditions.
Can I dispose of a refrigerator or washing machine this way?
Household refrigerators/freezers and washing machines/clothes dryers use a separate recycling route. Check your municipal guide or retailer for the correct arrangements and charges.
Does LifeAdmin include collection or disposal charges?
No. The task is for communication with one organization about one clear purpose, with up to two call attempts. Disposal fees, carrying and collection are separate. A date or acceptance is not guaranteed.
One clear next step
Need help explaining your collection request?
Prepare the item list and deadline, then ask LifeAdmin to communicate and confirm the next step.
Get bulky-waste call help →Before buying, check what we’ll need from you.
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Official sources
Checked 5 October 2026. Follow the current rules for your address and confirmed booking.