Sodai Gomi Japan: How to Dispose of Furniture, Futons & Oversized Waste (2026)

You can't just leave a chair on the curb in Japan. Sodai gomi (粗大ごみ) — oversized waste — is one of the most frustrating parts of life for foreigners here. Wrong day, wrong sticker, wrong size? It sits there for weeks. This guide explains exactly how the system works in 2026 — and how to book a pickup in under a minute.

TL;DR: Anything larger than 30 cm is sodai gomi. You must apply, pay, buy a sticker, and put it out on the assigned day. Or open GomiSense, scan the item, and the app auto-fills the ward booking form for you.

What Counts as Sodai Gomi?

In most Japanese cities, anything over 30 cm in any direction is classified as oversized waste. Some wards use 50 cm. Common items:

Item	Sodai Gomi?	Typical Fee
Single futon	✅ Yes	¥400
Mattress (single)	✅ Yes	¥1,000
Office chair	✅ Yes	¥400–¥1,200
Desk	✅ Yes	¥800–¥2,000
Bicycle	✅ Yes	¥800–¥1,000
Microwave	✅ Yes	¥400–¥800
Suitcase	✅ Yes	¥400
Vacuum cleaner	✅ Yes	¥400
Bookshelf	✅ Yes	¥800–¥2,000
Frying pan	❌ No	non-burnable
Umbrella	❌ No	non-burnable

⚠️ Note: TVs, fridges, washing machines, and ACs are NOT sodai gomi. They fall under the Home Appliance Recycling Law and need a different process — usually via the retailer or a recycling center.

The 4-Step Process (The Old Way)

Step 1 — Apply

Call your ward's Sodai Gomi Center or use the online form. Foreigners struggle here because most forms are Japanese-only, and phone lines often don't have English support.

Step 2 — Get a Quote

The ward tells you:

• The fee (¥400–¥3,000)
• The pickup date (usually 1–3 weeks later)
• The collection point (in front of your building)
• A reference number

Step 3 — Buy the Sticker

Go to any convenience store (participating convenience stores) and ask for sodai gomi shori-ken (粗大ごみ処理券). Tell the cashier the amount.

Step 4 — Attach and Place

Write your name (or reference number) on the sticker, attach it firmly to the item, and put it out the morning of pickup before 8 AM.

The Sodai Gomi Calendar

Pickups happen on specific days assigned to each block, not whenever you want. Some wards collect:

• Once a week (large central wards like Shibuya, Shinjuku)
• Twice a month (residential wards)
• By request only (smaller suburbs)

If you miss your slot, you re-apply and wait again. This is why advance planning matters — especially if you're moving out.

What Happens If You Skip the Sticker?

Don't.

• The item is left on the curb, sometimes for weeks
• A violation notice appears on it
• The building manager may bill you for removal
• Repeat offenders can be fined up to ¥30,000
• Some wards photograph violations and post them locally

💡 The fines are real. Tokyo's 23 wards collect millions of yen per year from sodai gomi violations.

Real Example: Disposing of a Bed in Setagaya

1. Apply online at the Setagaya Clean Center (Japanese-only form)
2. Quote: ¥1,200 for the frame + ¥1,000 for the mattress = ¥2,200
3. Pickup date assigned: 17 days later
4. Buy two stickers at participating convenience stores (¥1,200 + ¥1,000)
5. Write reference number on each
6. Place at building's collection point at 7 AM on pickup day

For first-timers, this entire flow can take 45 minutes of research, plus translation tools, plus phone anxiety.

Ward-by-Ward Quick Reference (Tokyo)

Ward	Booking	Method	Avg. Wait
Shibuya	Online + Phone	JP only	7–14 days
Shinjuku	Online + Phone	JP only	5–10 days
Setagaya	Online	JP only	14–21 days
Minato	Online + Phone	Some EN	7 days
Meguro	Online	JP only	10–14 days
Chuo	Online + Phone	JP only	7 days
Toshima	Online	JP only	10 days

Always confirm directly — schedules and fees change yearly.

Why Foreigners Get Stuck

We've heard from hundreds of users. The pain points are always the same:

1. Form is Japanese-only with kanji-heavy fields
2. Don't know which ward they belong to (especially in shared mansions)
3. Don't know the item's category name in Japanese
4. Convenience store interaction is intimidating
5. Pickup day arrives but they forget to put it out

How GomiSense Removes Every Step of Friction

This is exactly what GomiSense was built for. The flow:

1. Scan the Item

Open the app, point your camera at the chair / futon / suitcase. AI identifies the item in seconds.

2. Auto-Detect Sodai Gomi

The app immediately recognizes if it's oversized waste and shows the Sodai Gomi Guide screen.

3. Personalized Booking Info

You instantly see:

• ✅ Whether it's sodai gomi in your specific ward
• ✅ The exact fee in yen
• ✅ The next available pickup date
• ✅ A direct link to the ward's online booking form
• ✅ The form pre-translated to your language

4. Reminders

The night before pickup AND the morning of, GomiSense sends a push so you never miss a slot.

5. Sticker Helper

The app shows you the exact phrase to say at participating convenience stores — in Japanese with phonetic transliteration.

Stop dreading sodai gomi. Open GomiSense, scan, and book. → Get the app free

Pro Tips for Sodai Gomi Veterans

• Combine items — many wards let you book multiple items in one slot
• Schedule before you move — request pickups 1 month before your move-out date
• Some recycle shops take it free — local reuse shop, another local reuse shop, local reuse shop may take items in good condition
• Tie loose parts — wrap the chair legs together, fold the futon
• Don't over-tape — collectors need to see the sticker clearly

Common Sodai Gomi Mistakes

1. Putting it out without a sticker — automatic ignore
2. Wrong sticker amount — must match the quoted fee exactly
3. Putting it out the night before — animals and wind disturb it
4. Tearing items apart to fit in regular trash — explicitly banned in many wards
5. Forgetting reference number on the sticker

What About TVs, Fridges, ACs?

Repeating because it matters: these are not sodai gomi. Use the Home Appliance Recycling Law path:

• Buy a recycling ticket at the post office
• Schedule a retailer pickup
• Or take it to a designated drop-off center

Recycling fees range from ¥1,500–¥5,000 depending on size.

Final Thoughts

Sodai gomi rules feel hostile to newcomers, but the system actually works extremely well — if you know the steps. With GomiSense, you go from "what do I do with this chair?" to a confirmed pickup in under 60 seconds.

You shouldn't need three browser tabs and machine translation to throw away a desk.

Scan it. Book it. Forget it. → Download GomiSense

Sort with confidence. 💙