Are Tokyo’s Streets Really Clean?

Tokyo’s street cleanliness is a natural object of admiration among foreign visitors. “Japanese people don’t litter” has become one of the most famous misconceptions about Japan, along with “Japanese trains are always on time.” Tokyo is indeed cleaner than most big cities anywhere else in the world, and Japanese people tend to be extra careful about cleanliness. Still, reality is not perfect.

Like anywhere else on this planet, regardless of their nationality, some people are careless, and some places and situations are more subject to littering. Anybody who has walked the streets around Shinjuku station on the very early morning on Saturday or Sunday before the pandemic will understand what I mean. At the time when the partygoers headed home, it was common to find cigarette butts, papers, and empty cans all over the place.

However, at sunrise, the very efficient Tokyo streets cleaning staff appears (mostly composed of retired people wanting to earn some extra money). Any littering disappears before the shop opens as by magic. Still, this is insufficient in some parts of Tokyo, for example, Shibuya.

A colleague reported seeing some cleaning volunteers around Shibuya station early in the morning. After further research, several groups of that kind exist, such as green bird. Similarly, the Isseiichidai group has gained some attention…