Life in Japan | Housing | Doshisha University Office of International Students

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3. Life in Japan

There are certain rules that you should follow as a resident in Japan. Lack of knowledge may cause unforeseen troubles. Follow those rules and have an enjoyable student life.

(1)Garbage Collection

Rules for garbage collection differ with each residential area. Make sure to follow your local rules when you dispose of garbage.

Kyoto City: Web Page for Garbage Collection (in Japanese) (external website)
Kyoto city: How to separate trash(in Japanese) (external website)
Kyoto city:Waste Reduction and Recycleing(in Japanese) (external website)（external website）
Kyotanabe City: Web Page for Garbage and Recycling (in Japanese) (external website)：

【Examples of disposing garbege in Kyoto city】 Make sure to follow your local rules

Types of garbage	frequency of collection	Examples	Bags
Burnable garbage	Collected twice a week	kitchen garbage(paper that cannot be recycled; plastic, glass, etc. ontainers and wrappings that cannot berecycled	Yellow garbage bags designated by the city.
Cans, glass bottles, PETbottles	Collected once a week	Cans, glass bottles, PETbottles	Clear bags designated by the city for recyclable garbage.
plastic containers and wrappings	Collected once a week.	Trays, bags, wrappings, cling wrap, bottles, cushioning, cups, tubes, lids, caps etc.	Clear bags designated by the city for recyclable garbage.
Small size metal items, spray cans	Collected once a month	Pans, kettles, frying pans, kitchen utensils, spray cans, gas cartridges etc.	Clear bags

Notes

Use bags designated by the city for recyclable garbage.
Put your garbage bag at the designated collection point by 8:00 AM on collection day, not the previous night. Use the garbage bags designated by the city.
It is strictly prohibited to leave your garbage on the collection point on a day other than the designated collection day, as it will allow crows and stray cats to mess up the garbage and cause smells and inconvenience to residents in the neighborhood and in your apartment.
Leaving your garbage in the corridor or other common areas of the apartment will also cause inconvenience to your neighbors.
Kitchen garbage should be fully drained.
Matches, cigarette butts, lighters and fireworks should be extinguished and dampened. Lighter fluid should be emptied from lighters before disposal.
In order to prevent injuries to persons handling your garbage, wrap sharp objects such as glass or razors with thick paper and place in the middle of the garbage bag before disposal.

(2)Noise

There have been increasing troubles caused by noise such as music, speaking voices and telephone conversation. If you cause a serious noise problem, you may be evicted from the room. In Japan, the period between 10PM and 8AM is the time that you are advised to keep as quiet as possible. Be mindful especially when you come home late at night. Be careful not to disturb your neighbors with noise, not only in front of other people’s house but also in your room.

(3)Payment of Rent, Utility Charges and Other Fees

You are obliged to pay various fees such as rent, utility charges, phone bills, internet charges and National Health Insurance premiums without delay. If delayed and outstanding payments increase, it may lead to prejudice against foreigners and adverse effect on other international students’ housing rental contracts. Be sure to meet payment deadlines so as not to put other international students into trouble.

(4)Room Maintenance

Try your best to keep your room clean and in good condition. As the tenant, you will be responsible for the cost of repairing the stains, scratches and damages in the room that are pointed out at the time of moving out. Therefore, you should report any scratches or damages in the room that you noticed upon moving in to the real estate agent immediately.