50 Rules in Japan that Foreigners Have Trouble Understanding

Almost no trash cans in Japan

You might have read somewhere that Japan has zero trash cans. This isn’t true. You’ll find trash cans in public spaces like parks, crossways, and playgrounds. However, where you won’t find trash cans is outside of most residential places. It’s not that the Japanese don’t have trash, but they just leave their garbage in plastic bags outside. Sounds gross, right?

It’s not gross at all. Japan went through a huge sanitation reformation a couple of decades ago, which made picking up garbage a lot more efficient. Just make sure that you separate recyclables from organic garbage before tossing them out.