Use the right Kobe bag
Burnable, non-burnable, cans/bottles/PET, and plastic containers each have their own official household bag category. Do not treat one transparent bag as universal.
神戸市 · Kobe City, Japan · 2026
Kobe City Garbage Collection
Guide — All 9 Wards
Complete collection schedules, Kobe's official household designated bags, and ward-by-ward guides for all 9 Kobe City wards (神戸市9区). Kobe's system differs from both Tokyo and Osaka — including a unique monthly paper & cloth bundling category not found in other major cities.
Quick Answer Kobe City uses official designated household bags for burnable, non-burnable, cans/bottles/PET, and plastic containers and packaging. Burnable waste is collected twice per week; plastic packaging weekly; recyclables bi-weekly; non-burnable twice per month. Paper & cloth (古紙・古布) must be tied in bundles — not bagged — and is collected monthly. Exact days vary by ward and district block. Use GomiMate for your address-level calendar.
How to Use This Kobe Guide Without Mixing Categories
Kobe's waste system is easy to misread because it combines official household designated bags with a separate paper-and-cloth bundling rule. This guide starts from Kobe City's official bag guidance and adds practical checks for residents who need to match their ward, district block, and item category.
Bundle paper and cloth
Newspapers, cardboard, magazines, and old clothes are not bagged. Tie paper and cloth separately with string and follow the monthly district day.
Keep spray cans separate
Spray cans and cassette cylinders are handled in a see-through separate bag, not the regular non-burnable designated bag.
1.54M
City Residents
9
Wards (区)
4
Designated Bag Categories
7,710+
Collection Stations
315 kg
Waste/Capita/Yr
6
Waste Categories
Kobe's Official Household Designated Bags
Kobe City uses a household designated bag system (神戸市家庭系ごみ指定袋), but it is not a three-colour disposal-fee bag system. Official rules define four bag categories:- Burnable waste: Kobe-designated burnable bag; official bag color is sky-blue semi-transparent.
- Non-burnable waste: Kobe-designated non-burnable bag; official bag color is transparent.
- Cans, bottles, PET bottles: Kobe-designated recyclables bag; official bag color is transparent.
- Plastic containers and packaging: Kobe-designated plastic-containers bag; official bag color is transparent.
Paper & cloth (古紙・古布) is a distinct monthly category unique to Kobe's system — newspapers, cardboard, and magazines must be tied in bundles with string and not placed in bags. Old clothing is bundled separately, same collection day.
Kobe City says prices are market prices set by retailers and the bag price does not include a disposal fee. Bags are sold at supermarkets, convenience stores, home centres, and drug stores across Kobe City. Spray cans and cassette gas cylinders use a separate see-through bag, not the non-burnable designated bag. Official source: Kobe City household designated bags.
All 9 Kobe City Wards
Higashinada Ward
東灘区
213,000
residents
Nadagogo sake district, Rokko Island, Ashiya border, Sumiyoshi Shrine
31.72 km² 6,716/km² 3.8% foreign
Nada Ward
灘区
142,000
residents
Kobe University, Rokkosan hiking trails, Minatogawa Shrine, western sake district
32.9 km² 4,316/km² 4.2% foreign
Hyogo Ward
兵庫区
105,000
residents
Hyogo Port (historic), Minatomachi, Kobe Harborland proximity
13.52 km² 7,766/km² 6.1% foreign
Nagata Ward
長田区
96,000
residents
Japan's shoe capital, Zainichi Korean community, Wakamatsu Park, Nagata Shrine
11.36 km² 8,451/km² 7.9% foreign
Suma Ward
須磨区
156,000
residents
Suma Beach, Suma Aquarium, Suma Rikyu Park, Akashi Kaikyo view
29.91 km² 5,216/km² 2.9% foreign
Tarumi Ward
垂水区
217,000
residents
Akashi Kaikyo Bridge views, Maiko waterfront, Tarumi hot spring history, suburban residential
29.22 km² 7,427/km² 2.4% foreign
Kita Ward
北区
219,000
residents
Arima Onsen (Japan's oldest hot spring resort), Rokko mountain range, rural farmland, Kobe beef grazing land
240.24 km² 912/km² 1.6% foreign
Chuo Ward
中央区
140,000
residents
Nankinmachi (Chinatown), Kitano Ijinkan, Sannomiya, Meriken Park, Port Island, Kobe Airport
29.87 km² 4,686/km² 8.7% foreign
Nishi Ward
西区
256,000
residents
Kobe New Town estates, Seishin-Nagata subway, Akashi Kaikyo access, agricultural suburbs
138.25 km² 1,852/km² 2.1% foreign
Ward Comparison Table
| Ward | Population | Area | Density/km² | Burnable Days | Foreign Res. % | Official Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higashinada Ward 東灘区 | 213,000 | 31.72 km² | 6,716 | Monday & Thursday | 3.8% | Official ↗ |
| Nada Ward 灘区 | 142,000 | 32.9 km² | 4,316 | Tuesday & Friday | 4.2% | Official ↗ |
| Hyogo Ward 兵庫区 | 105,000 | 13.52 km² | 7,766 | Wednesday & Saturday | 6.1% | Official ↗ |
| Nagata Ward 長田区 | 96,000 | 11.36 km² | 8,451 | Monday & Thursday | 7.9% | Official ↗ |
| Suma Ward 須磨区 | 156,000 | 29.91 km² | 5,216 | Tuesday & Friday | 2.9% | Official ↗ |
| Tarumi Ward 垂水区 | 217,000 | 29.22 km² | 7,427 | Monday & Thursday | 2.4% | Official ↗ |
| Kita Ward 北区 | 219,000 | 240.24 km² | 912 | Wednesday & Saturday | 1.6% | Official ↗ |
| Chuo Ward 中央区 | 140,000 | 29.87 km² | 4,686 | Tuesday & Friday | 8.7% | Official ↗ |
| Nishi Ward 西区 | 256,000 | 138.25 km² | 1,852 | Monday & Thursday | 2.1% | Official ↗ |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What designated garbage bags does Kobe use?
Kobe City uses four household designated bag categories: burnable waste, non-burnable waste, cans/bottles/PET bottles, and plastic containers and packaging. The official bag specification says burnable bags are sky-blue semi-transparent, while the other household designated bags are transparent. Bags are sold at supermarkets, convenience stores, home centres, and drug stores across the city.
How do I put out paper and cardboard in Kobe?
Newspapers, cardboard, magazines, and books (古紙) are collected once a month in most Kobe districts — typically the 1st Tuesday of the month. Tie them in bundles with string and place at the collection point. Do NOT put them in bags. Old clothing (古布) is collected the same day in a separate bundle. This bundling requirement is unique to Kobe among Kansai's major cities and catches many new residents by surprise.
How is Kobe's waste system different from Osaka and Tokyo?
Kobe requires Kobe-approved household designated bags for four regular categories. Osaka City uses ordinary transparent or semi-transparent see-through bags and says it does not manufacture or sell a specific household garbage bag. Tokyo ward rules vary ward by ward, though many wards accept containers or transparent/semi-transparent bags. Kobe also has a monthly paper & cloth bundling category.
How do I book bulky waste pickup in Kobe?
Apply online at kobe.lg.jp or call 078-302-1973. Fees range from ¥400 to ¥2,200 per item depending on size. After booking, pay the fee at any convenience store using the issued payment code, then attach the sticker to the item before your scheduled pickup day. Book at least 5 business days in advance — during the March–April moving season, slots can fill within a day or two of opening.
Does Kobe have mountain or rural areas with different collection?
Yes. Kita Ward (北区) — Kobe's largest ward by area — contains mountain settlements where refuse trucks cannot reach. Those residents use a bring-in system (持込み収集), delivering waste to a community collection centre on the scheduled day. Use GomiMate or the city's address lookup tool to check whether your address falls under roadside collection or bring-in collection.