Taking Out the Trash and Greeting Your Neighbors: How to Say Hello After Moving In and How to Ask About Sorting Rules

After you move in, you suddenly meet your neighbors much more often. There is the moving-in greeting, a quick word when you pass someone in the hallway, and conversations at the trash collection point. When you don't understand something, asking briefly gets it resolved faster than just nodding silently and moving on. This article explains what to say in each situation.

*This scene is a fictional story based on situations that are common among learners.

Elena moved into a third-floor apartment last week. On Tuesday morning, she put a bag of burnable trash out at the collection point and left for work.

When she came back in the evening, only her bag was left, with a red sticker on it. At the collection point, Ms. Matsuo from the next apartment was holding a broom. Their eyes met.

Elena said a quiet "Sumimasen" (excuse me / sorry), gave a small nod, picked up the bag, and went up the stairs. Ms. Matsuo started to say something, then closed her mouth.

Elena had wanted to ask what she had done wrong, but she didn't know what to say.

How Far Should Your Moving-In Greetings Go, and When?

There is no legal rule about who you should greet. Looking at guides on rental information sites and moving information sites, the general guidelines are as follows.

There is an expression, "mukō-sangen-ryōdonari" (literally, "the three houses across and the two houses on either side"). The Digital Daijisen dictionary defines it as "the three houses across from your own and the two houses on the left and right; nearby houses with which you have friendly relations" [1]. It is an expression that brings to mind a row of detached houses.

For apartment buildings and condominiums, some guides say the basics are the four households: the units on both sides, directly above, and directly below [2]. For detached houses, some guides suggest about five or six households, including the houses across the street [2][3]. Some guides also explain that greeting the people upstairs is a way of signaling that you will be careful about noise and vibration [3]. Some guides also recommend greeting the building manager or landlord [2].

The timing differs depending on the guide. Some say the ideal is by the day before you move in [2], while others say the day of the move or the day after is typical [3]. If you think of it as anytime from the day before to the day after, you will be fine. Guides recommend avoiding the hours after 9 p.m. and early morning [2].

Here is an example of what to say.

Nice to meet you. I'm Elena, and I've just moved into Room 302. I'll be in your care. Thank you for your kindness.

"Koshite kimashita" ("I've moved in") is a natural way to say it when speaking. When writing a letter or note, some examples use the more formal "hikkoshite mairimashita" [2].

If you give a small gift, some examples add the phrase "kokoro bakari no mono desu ga" ("it's just a small token") [2].

If the person is not home, you don't need to visit again and again. Some guides say to go back at most three times, and after that to leave a greeting note. You put it in their mailbox or hang it on the doorknob [2]. Even if you can't meet them, your wish to say hello will come across.

Greeting your neighbors is not an obligation. Some guides also say that if you live alone and feel anxious, you don't have to force yourself [2].

In Hallways and at the Collection Point, a Short Word or a Nod Is Enough

Once the moving-in greeting is done, you don't need to talk for long. A short greeting each time you meet is enough.

• You: "Good morning."
• Neighbor: "Good morning. It's hot today, isn't it?"
• You: "Yes, it is."

A comment about the weather is a light topic that ends the conversation once you reply. It is not rude if you don't keep talking.

In the following situations, a nod without saying anything is not rude either.

• When the other person is far away
• When your hands are full with bags or packages
• When you pass someone who is on the phone
• When the elevator is crowded and it is hard to talk

A nod (eshaku) is the motion of lightly lowering your head. There are no rules about the angle or the number of seconds. When your eyes meet, a light bow of the head is enough.

Sometimes people don't return your greeting. That doesn't necessarily mean your greeting was bad. You don't have to force yourself to keep going. It is fine to decide for yourself whether to continue.

The Words You See in Trash Disposal Differ by Municipality

How trash is sorted and what it is called differs by city, ward, town, and village. Here are examples from three cities.

The Easy Japanese page of Chiba City divides trash into categories such as "kanō gomi (moeru gomi)" (burnable trash), "sodai gomi" (oversized trash), and "shigenbutsu" (recyclables). The term "shūshūbi" (collection day) is accompanied by the paraphrase "gomi o suteru hi" (the day you throw out trash) [4]. On Matsudo City's page, the term "moyaseru gomi" (burnable trash) appears. A trash sorting and calendar app is also introduced [5].

There are three points where people especially tend to get stuck.

Oversized trash (sodai gomi) means large items such as tables and chairs. In Chiba City, you apply to a reception center to dispose of it, and it costs money [4]. Please do not put large items such as shelves out at the collection point as they are.

Depending on the municipality, designated bags are also required. In Matsudo City, burnable trash must be put out in city-designated plastic bags [5].

The time to put trash out is also fixed. According to Matsudo City's guide, it is by 8:30 a.m. on collection day [5], and on Chiba City's page, it is by 8:00 a.m. [4]. Even for cities in the same prefecture of Chiba, the times differ, so please check the guide for the city, ward, town, or village where you live.

If you put trash out the wrong way, it may not be collected. In Nagoya City, a red warning sticker may be attached to trash that cannot be collected, and the reason is written on the sticker. The guide says that if the bag is left behind, you should take it back and review how you sorted it [6]. The sticker on Elena's bag in the scene was this kind of sticker. The color of the sticker and how it is used may differ by municipality.

When You Don't Know How to Sort, Ask Briefly

When you are unsure how to sort something, ask before you throw it away. You can ask the building manager, the landlord, a neighbor, or the municipal office. Matsudo City has a telephone consultation service for when you don't know how to sort trash [5].

Here are some phrases for asking in conversation.

Excuse me, is this burnable trash?

Excuse me, I would like to throw away this shelf. What should I do?

Excuse me, is there a chart that shows the trash collection days?

The first "sumimasen" here is not an apology but a phrase you use to get someone's attention. If you then point at the item and ask, you will be understood.

You can ask in the same way even after a sticker has been put on your bag. In the scene, Elena could say the following to Ms. Matsuo.

Excuse me, what is this sticker? Did I put it out the wrong way?

When Someone Points Out a Problem, Answer Briefly and Fix It

When someone points out a problem with how you sort trash or with noise, first answer briefly.

I'm very sorry. I'll be careful.

You don't need to keep apologizing at length. What matters is actually fixing it afterward. For trash sorting, check how to put it out in your municipality's guide. For noise, there are ways such as avoiding the washing machine and vacuum cleaner late at night, laying a rug on the floor, or changing your slippers.

If you think you are not in the wrong, it is fine not to accept it right away and to check first. There are ways of asking that confirm the facts.

The calendar said today was plastic. Is that not right?

If you use a way of speaking that checks rather than blames, it is easier for the other person to explain.

If you are harassed because of your nationality or appearance, or someone speaks to you unreasonably, it is not a problem that can be solved by changing how you speak or behave. Please consult your property management company, your landlord, or the municipal office.

References

1. "向こう三軒両隣(ムコウサンゲンリョウドナリ)とは？ 意味や使い方 - コトバンク," コトバンク（デジタル大辞泉：小学館）. https://kotobank.jp/word/向こう三軒両隣
2. CHINTAI 編集部, "引越し挨拶、どうすればいい？時間帯・範囲・手土産の正解マナー," CHINTAI情報局（株式会社CHINTAI）, 最終更新 2026年10月19日. https://www.chintai.net/news/156423/
3. "引っ越しの挨拶はどこまでの範囲？おすすめの粗品・手土産も紹介," 引越し侍（運営：株式会社エイチームライフデザイン）, 2025年10月6日. https://www.hikkoshizamurai.jp/useful/moving-announcement-extent/
4. "千葉市：ごみ　の　捨て方," 千葉市（市民局市民自治推進部国際交流課）, 更新 2025年2月7日. https://www.city.chiba.jp/easyjapanese/reside/livinginformation/esjp016.html
5. "Sorting and disposal of household garbage　家庭ゴミの出し方," 松戸市（国際推進課）, 更新 2026年5月11日. https://www.city.matsudo.chiba.jp/InternationalPortal/en/forforeignresidents/householdgarbage.html
6. "出したごみ袋に赤色のシールが貼ってありましたが、これは何ですか?," 名古屋市（環境局）, 更新 2025年11月11日. https://www.city.nagoya.jp/kurashi/gomi/1012295/1012296/1033995/1012316.html