Few public trash cans but clean streets–how!? 

Where are all the trash cans in Japan?

That’s a question you might be asking yourself a lot when you’re here. Of course, you will find garbage cans inside various facilities like convenience stores and stations but you won’t find nearly as many bins as you might expect, which is especially surprising because this is a country known for its cleanliness. 

Well, the simple secret is that we all just carry our trash in our bags. A lot of people might even have a little plastic bag to store their garbage until they find a bin to dispose of it. 

Everyone is taught from a young age that littering is bad, and since Japanese culture puts such a strong emphasis on individuals navigating themselves in society based on what’s least troublesome to the whole (or others), people are very good at taking responsibility for things like their own trash.