Professor Chris McMorran, who teaches Japanese studies at the National University of Singapore, focuses on serious and important topics such as labor, gender and marginalized communities.
However, when he brought the students to Japan, a major problem always arises: Why there is no trash can?
This is a general avoidance, especially among Western travelers who flock to Japan every year: How does the country become so clean and organized when there seems to be no way to dispose of garbage in public places?
McMoran’s students aren’t the only ones with this problem. Earlier this year, the National Tourism Organization of Japan (JNTO) conducted a survey of passengers leaving Japan and asked about the logistical challenges they faced during their trip.
First response? Lack of trash cans. 22% of visitors listed the difficulty of finding a place to throw away the garbage, which is the biggest problem they deal with on the go, before the lack of English-speaking people (15%) and crowded among popular attractions (13%).
There are several ways to solve the problem of garbage disposal, but it usually involves the unique rhythm of Japanese etiquette.
“This (lack of trash cans) can be a nuisance, especially for young budget-conscious travelers,” McMoran said. ” Rather than sitting down to eat in a restaurant, grab Onigiri at a convenience store or an Instagrammable dessert at a stall.
He noted that while local Japanese people also buy food and drinks from vending machines or kbombini (convenience stores), the difference is that they don’t necessarily eat these products on the street.
Walking is considered bad behavior – so much so that some Japanese cities ban this practice altogether. Instead, it is more common to bring these snapped foods to their homes or offices where they are eaten and then dispose of the garbage. If they go out for a meal on the road, most people will carry a small bag with them where they can store the trash until they get home.
Impact of tourism growth
The mass tourism industry has caused problems with public waste in Japan.
For example, travelers come from all over the world and visit the UNESCO-listed Nara on a 45-minute bullet train east of Osaka. Although the city is home to historic temples and Buddhist artifacts, its most famous inhabitants are wild deer, known for taking cookies and “bowing” from tourists.
However, garbage has become a life or death problem for deer: nine people died in 2019 after eating plastic waste left by tourists on the ground.
A tour feeds one of Nara's famous deer. -Fuddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images
New solar trash cans on the streets of Nara. -Fuddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images
Trash cans were removed from Nara's Parks in 1985 to prevent deer from trying to eat them. Signs throughout the city warn people not to litter, as eating garbage or food outside of their diet can be harmful to deer.
As the number of travelers increased, it became clear that the signs posted were not enough and people were not following the local custom of garbage with them. The city has since reconsidered its policies and installed several trash cans near the busiest tourist areas.
The solar trash can print “Save Deer” in English.
Tokyo's cool shibuya community is also struggling to cope with tourists and the garbage left behind. Local politicians broke the infamous rampant Halloween celebrations and made drinking on the street illegal – in part to reduce noise complaints, but also curb the amount of garbage.
Police tried to control the party to celebrate Halloween in Shpua in 2022.
On Tiktok, videos about tourists’ Japanese etiquette abound, with some travelers comparing Japan to Canada and the United States for their public health approach or providing tips on finding garbage where you really need it (many vending machines have a tiny machine with a tiny machine next to it).
For some visitors, the lack of easily discovered garbage dumpsters is another fascinating quirk of Japanese culture.
For other visitors, this is a nuisance that can reduce their holiday enjoyment.
Hong Kong resident Rubin Verebes is at the latter camp. He first visited Japan in September 2024 and said he was annoyed that he had a hard time finding a place to throw away the trash.
“It's outrageous to walk around Tokyo all day, stepping on over 20,000 steps, and not finding a trash can toss a plastic package from a sandwich,” he said.
“Some 7-Elevens, homes or Lawson stores don’t even have trash bins, so you can hold these dirty wrapping paper or bottles all day until you get back to the hotel.
Paul Christie, CEO of travel company Walk Japan, said he focused on respect and community values when he asked his clients about the lack of trash cans.
“Japan's prize cleanliness and collaboration as a society, the result is that their country has a high rating in a clean and tidy stake,” he told CNN.
“Ultimately, the Japanese community has decided to avoid the nuisance and costs of public trash cans, and Japanese consumers have accepted the burden of developing disposal plans when purchasing goods,” said McMorran, a Japanese study professor.
Japan has made great efforts for its citizens, another reason for the smaller size of the trash can. McMorran said some municipalities have up to 20 different categories of recyclable items, and even some locals find it challenging to categorize everyone and throw everything out correctly.
“The spotless public transportation system is a great example of all passengers treating stations, trains, buses and travelers with respect and action.”
A darker dark current
In addition to the theme of cleaning and sanitation, there is a hidden reason behind the lack of trash cans in public areas.
On March 20, 1995, members of the Aum Shinrikyo Doomsday Cult carried out sarin gas attacks on several Tokyo subway trains, killing 14 people and injuring at least 5,500 people.
Cult members packed sarin plastic onto subway cars, placed them on the floor, and then pierced the bag with an umbrella as they left the train. Among the dead, there are several subway workers who are trying to clean up the leak and help passengers escape.
After the 1995 Sarin attack, soldiers cleared the Tokyo Metro. – Noboru hashimoto/corbis by Getty Images
The incident shocked Japan and changed the country forever.
One effort is to remove trash cans from subways and train stations. While still there, they have clear plastic bags that allow policemen to easily see what’s inside, rather than the deep metal cylinders used in the past.
And this phenomenon is not isolated from Japan.
Many trash cans were removed from the main intersections of London underground stations and the entire British capital after several bombings that assisted the IRA in the 1970s.
Japanese authorities also closely monitor overseas terrorist incidents. Two Japanese railway lines stopped maintaining trash cans after the 2004 train explosion in Madrid, citing concerns about terrorism.
There is a creative solution for travelers who are worried about how to carry waste during the day.
Furoshiki is a square cloth used to wrap items, and there are some in almost every souvenir shop in Japan. They can work on garbage for a short period of time until the bin is found and then provide decorative purposes after the holidays.
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