Experiencing Zero-Waste Firsthand: A Town Committed to Producing No Trash

Otsuka

Welcome to the Zero Waste Center! Before heading to your rooms, let's start by estimating how much soap you’ll need for your stay and cutting off just that amount. Yoshiaki, how much do you think one person needs?

Irobe

This is harder than I expected… Maybe about this much?
Most of us rarely stop to consider how much soap we actually use in a day. This exercise is a simple yet effective way to introduce the fundamental zero-waste principle of “using only what you need.”
Next, Otsuka handed each guest a waste-sorting basket.

Everything you discard during your stay—used tea leaves, tissues, and all other waste—should go into this basket. Tomorrow, you'll participate in the waste-sorting experience at the Garbage Station.

Watanabe

Being mindful about minimizing waste makes me feel more conscious of my actions—almost as if they become more refined.

Irobe

Every action feels more intentional than usual, yet it doesn’t feel restrictive. In fact, it’s oddly liberating.
The next morning, a locally sourced breakfast was delivered from a nearby shop. The shop, which also operates a craft brewery during the day, provided a meal featuring fresh citrus fruits, fish cutlets, and warm, freshly baked bread. Even the packaging, such as the paper bag for the bread and the citrus peels, was later sorted at the Garbage Station.

Otsuka

This composting box contains black soil. Since fermentation occurs more efficiently in warmth, the lid is transparent to allow sunlight in. Ventilation is also crucial, so we designed it with a sloped lid to prevent airtight sealing. We divided the composting area into six sections—each day, waste is added to a different section to speed up decomposition. For easily biodegradable items, decomposition takes as little as six days.

Irobe

I can’t believe that the citrus peels from this morning, as well as the tea leaves and coffee grounds, will disappear in such a short time.

Otsuka

Aerating the soil helps activate the microorganisms, so it's important to mix the soil regularly with a shovel. In Kamikatsu, we don't collect food waste at the Garbage Station—instead, each household processes it in their own compost. Since food waste contains moisture, it decays quickly and can create unpleasant odors or contaminate recyclable materials like paper and plastic. That’s why we separate it from the start. The town even provides subsidies so residents can purchase an electric composting unit for a personal contribution of about 10,000 yen.

Watanabe

That’s an incredible initiative. But what about animal-based food waste? Will it break down properly in the compost?

Otsuka

Yes, meat and other animal-based waste can go into the compost without any issues. In fact, microorganisms prefer breaking them down. However, eggshells, bones, and seashells don’t decompose easily, so we advise against adding them.
After placing their breakfast waste into the compost, the two headed to the Garbage Station to sort the rest of their waste. Even after just one night, they were surprised by how much waste had accumulated—plastic wrappers, paper napkins, tea leaves, and more.
With Otsuka’s guidance, they carefully sorted their waste into the 43 designated categories, including paper, plastic, glass, and metals.

Otsuka

Take a look at the table near the entrance—there you’ll find lighters, pens, and umbrellas. These are awaiting disassembly. To reduce the amount of waste that needs to be incinerated, our staff later dismantles these items manually. The most challenging item we’ve ever had to break down? A massage chair. The combination of tightly adhered fabric and numerous small components made it incredibly difficult.

Watanabe

It makes sense—durability often means difficulty in disassembly.

Otsuka

Exactly. Here in Kamikatsu, even glass bottles with plastic spouts are carefully disassembled before disposal. However, some items—like nail polish bottles containing residual paint or aquariums where glass and rubber are fused—are nearly impossible to separate for recycling. These must be either incinerated or landfilled. The bin labeled 'Non-Recyclable Waste' is essentially the last resort. While we have achieved an 80% recycling rate, the remaining 20% still relies on incineration and landfill. Items like tissues, masks, diapers (which cannot be recycled for hygiene reasons), as well as leather goods, PVC, and rubber products, inevitably end up in this category.

Otsuka

If you look at the top right corner of each sign, you'll see two labels: 'In' and 'Out,' along with a price. The 'In' price indicates how much recycling companies will pay for that material per kilogram, while the 'Out' price represents the cost the town must pay to dispose of the waste. In other words, materials that are easier to recycle generate revenue for the town. For example, aluminum, which has a 90% recyclability rate, is priced at 'In 160 yen,' making it the most valuable material here.

Irobe

Seeing the monetary value attached to waste makes it feel much more tangible and relevant.

Otsuka

Until 1997, open-air burning was a major issue in Kamikatsu. However, the enactment of the Container and Packaging Recycling Law that year prompted the town to establish its first waste collection station—a small prefabricated building where residents sorted waste into nine categories. Since the station was located near former burning sites, it wasn’t a big hurdle for residents to start bringing their waste there instead.
In 1998, the town introduced an incinerator, but it was shut down just two years later due to dioxin concerns. Facing financial constraints and a declining population, Kamikatsu chose to invest in waste reduction instead of incineration. The town’s officials conducted thorough research on recycling, engaging in direct conversations with residents to gain their support. By 2001, they had successfully expanded the waste sorting system to 35 categories. Because Kamikatsu is a small town, officials could build close, face-to-face relationships with residents.

Former Mayor Kasamatsu played a crucial role, bringing strong leadership and reform-minded initiatives. In 2003, Paul Connett, an American expert in zero-waste strategies, visited Kamikatsu to share his insights. That same year, Mayor Kasamatsu made history by declaring the Zero-Waste Policy, committing to eliminate incineration and landfill waste by 2020. To further support this initiative, the Zero Waste Academy was founded in 2005 as a non-profit organization dedicated to managing the Garbage Station and fostering zero-waste awareness through community dialogue.

Tanaka

I first got involved in Kamikatsu’s efforts in 2011 when former Mayor Kasamatsu invited me to help revitalize the town. As an outsider, I was amazed by the 35-category waste sorting system and the high recycling rate. I wanted to share this model beyond the town’s borders, which led to the renovation of the Garbage Station. It was essential to create mechanisms that would attract young people to the town. In 2015, I opened the craft beer brewery RISE & WIN Brewing Co., and in 2020, we rebranded the waste station into a multi-purpose public complex—the Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center. These initiatives have been instrumental in promoting Kamikatsu’s unique appeal.

Since then, the Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center has evolved beyond just a waste management site—it has become a place that attracts people, sparking conversations about sustainability. The town’s residents have integrated zero-waste practices into their daily routines, thanks to strong leadership from the town’s administration and close collaboration between local government staff and waste station employees. However, there is another crucial factor behind this transformation.

Tanaka

Kamikatsu sits at the uppermost stream of the Katsuura River. Whether it’s agriculture or wastewater management, the people here have long understood that whatever happens upstream affects those downstream. This awareness is deeply ingrained in the community’s mindset, making it natural for residents to take responsibility for managing their own waste.

Otsuka

Mitsubishi Estate, which aims to achieve a 100% waste recycling rate in the Otemachi-Marunouchi-Yurakucho area by 2030, visited our center a few years ago looking for zero-waste inspiration. This led to the launch of a project focused on improving resource circulation in commercial buildings. We have been sharing our expertise on composting and supporting environmental awareness initiatives within their organization. For example, at TOKYO TORCH, scheduled to open in 2027, a system will be implemented to separate food waste, convert it into liquid fertilizer, and use that fertilizer to grow vegetables for the cafeteria and tenant restaurants.

Tanaka

Recently, Mitsubishi Estate changed the labeling on their waste bins from 'Burnable Waste' to 'Waste That Must Be Burned.' This simple adjustment prompted more people to pause and reconsider their waste disposal habits, leading to improved sorting rates. They also repainted their waste collection areas to make them brighter and more welcoming, which has significantly heightened awareness about waste separation. It’s incredible how small changes can shift people's behavior.

Irobe

It’s not just about managing waste after disposal—we also need to be conscious of consumption itself. In Edo-period Japan, people collected and recycled almost everything. In Germany, children are taught from a young age to give away one item whenever they acquire something new. Having a space that teaches these values can help reshape our attitudes toward consumption. Kamikatsu perfectly embodies the circular philosophy that the Japan Pavilion aims to promote.

Watanabe

There’s a story called A Drop of Water from the Hummingbird. During a wildfire, a small hummingbird carries droplets of water in its beak, trying to extinguish the flames. Other animals laugh at its futile efforts, but the hummingbird simply replies, ‘I am doing what I can.’ The zero-waste movement is similar—we shouldn’t view Kamikatsu as an isolated example but rather as a model that can be expanded. Achieving a world where zero waste is the norm requires individual action. At first, I felt a bit tense and disciplined staying at the center, but by the end, I was having an incredibly enjoyable experience. The warmth of the people, the delicious food—it was simply an outstanding stay.

Irobe

I was deeply impressed by the architecture. The commitment to waste reduction is embedded in the design, creating a truly unique and inspiring space.

Watanabe

Enjoyment and aesthetics can lead to a greater awareness of environmental issues—that’s a powerful value in itself.

Irobe

Not just at the Japan Pavilion, but in various aspects of our work, we should create systems that encourage environmental consciousness.