Question
I just moved into a small apartment in Tokyo and the trash rules already have me stumped. There are separate bags for burnable, plastic, cans and bottles, and each one seems to go out on a different morning. I want to ask my landlord before I put the wrong bag out and upset the neighbors. How do I ask “What day is the trash collection?” in Japanese?
Answer by Professional Japanese Teacher
ゴミ収集（しゅうしゅう）は何曜日（なんようび）ですか。
Gomi shuushuu wa nan youbi desu ka.
What day is the trash collection?
Welcome to apartment life in Japan — sorting out the trash schedule is one of the first things every new resident has to do. You can use this phrase with your landlord, building manager, or a neighbor. Gomi means “trash,” shuushuu means “collection,” and nan youbi is “what day of the week.”
If you want to ask about one specific category, swap it in:
燃（も）えるゴミは何曜日ですか。
Moeru gomi wa nan youbi desu ka.
What day is the burnable trash?
Burnable is usually the most frequent pickup, while plastics (purasuchikku), cans (kan), and bottles (bin) tend to come once a week. Schedules vary by neighborhood, so asking once saves a lot of guessing — and a quick arigatou gozaimasu after the answer goes a long way in a new building.
