Quick Answer: Within home appliance recycling in Japan, this guide is for you if you can transport the unit by car or rental van. Buy a recycling ticket at the post office, then take air conditioners, TVs, refrigerators, or washers to a designated collection site. One appliance = one ticket.
Who is this for?
- Can transport the appliance to dispose of by car or rental van
- Want to self-deliver even if the purchase store is unknown, far away, or closed
- Retailer take-back is difficult, or you prefer counter service
- Just learned that Japan Post can handle home appliance recycling ticket procedures (not disposal at the branch itself)
Related articles
If any of these apply, read the linked guide.
- Want an overview of the four designated items and all methods → Appliance Recycling Law Guide
- Do not know the purchase store, or have no car and need pickup → Disposal When the Store Is Unknown
Post office procedure overview
Roughly four steps (details below):
- Note the unit’s manufacturer, item type, and size class
- At Japan Post or Yucho Bank, get a ticket, fill it in, and pay the recycling fee
- Attach the ticket to the unit and take it to a designated collection site
- Staff verify the ticket against the maker/model label (nameplate / model label)
📌 With self delivery you usually do not pay home collection/transport. Hiring a hauler is a separate charge.
What to note before visiting the post office
Stand beside the unit and record the following. Check the label on the back or side showing manufacturer and model (nameplate / model label).
- What to check
- Air conditioner / TV / refrigerator / freezer / washer / dryer
- What to check
- Name on the label (used to pick the fee table)
- What to check
- Screen size for TVs; capacity class for refrigerators—varies by item
- What to check
- Often not a required ticket field, but helps at the counter and drop-off
| Field | What to check |
|---|---|
| Item type | Air conditioner / TV / refrigerator / freezer / washer / dryer |
| Manufacturer | Name on the label (used to pick the fee table) |
| Size class | Screen size for TVs; capacity class for refrigerators—varies by item |
| Model number | Often not a required ticket field, but helps at the counter and drop-off |
📌 One appliance = one ticket. Two TVs means two separate procedures.
If the label is hard to read, a clerk may help partially, but the collection site still checks the unit against the label—take photos beforehand.
Cultural note: Japan Post and Yucho Bank handle payments beyond mail. The post-office transfer payment system for recycling tickets uses their counters or ATMs.
Steps at Japan Post or Yucho Bank
Step 1: Get the ticket at the counter
Say 「家電リサイクル券をお願いします」 (home appliance recycling ticket, please). You receive the form and instructions.
Step 2: Fill in the ticket
Enter item type, manufacturer, size class, fee, contact details, etc. See the latest RKC writing guide.
Do not paste the ticket over the nameplate or model label. Staff at the site match the ticket to those marks. Attach the ticket to a blank area on the side of the unit.
Step 3: Pay the recycling fee
Pay at the counter. Keep payment certificates until the unit is accepted.
📌 ATM-only branches may not handle tickets. Choose a post office with a staffed window.
Step 4: Deliver to a designated collection site
Use designated collection site search for a site that accepts your item type.
Before you leave, confirm:
- Business hours and last acceptance time
- Whether large items need advance notice
- Parking and unloading rules
How to prepare the appliance
- Remove food, laundry, water, and foreign objects
- Do not hide or soil the nameplate / model label
- Secure doors and cords for transport
- For smart TVs, consider a factory reset to protect personal data
Common problems
- What to do
- Recheck manufacturer fee tables
- What to do
- Call ahead; end of month is often busy
- What to do
- Clean around the label; take photos first
- What to do
- Reattach where the label stays visible
- What to do
- Bring written notes and the unit (or label photos)
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Wrong size class on ticket | Recheck manufacturer fee tables |
| Site closed or past cutoff | Call ahead; end of month is often busy |
| Label unreadable | Clean around the label; take photos first |
| Ticket pasted over the label | Reattach where the label stays visible |
| Unclear item type or class at counter | Bring written notes and the unit (or label photos) |
Useful Japanese phrases (post office & drop-off)
- Japanese
- 家電リサイクル券をお願いします
- Romaji
- Kaden risaikuru-ken wo onegai shimasu
- Japanese
- メーカーは◯◯、型番は△△です
- Romaji
- Meeka wa ◯◯, kataban wa △△ desu
- Japanese
- テレビ1台 / 冷蔵庫1台
- Romaji
- Terebi ichi-dai / reizouko ichi-dai
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Home appliance recycling ticket, please | 家電リサイクル券をお願いします | Kaden risaikuru-ken wo onegai shimasu |
| This is the manufacturer and model | メーカーは◯◯、型番は△△です | Meeka wa ◯◯, kataban wa △△ desu |
| One TV / one refrigerator | テレビ1台 / 冷蔵庫1台 | Terebi ichi-dai / reizouko ichi-dai |
What to do next
- Confirm manufacturer, item type, and size class for the unit
- Find a post office or Yucho Bank with a staffed window
- After payment, use the site search to pick a drop-off location
- To compare other methods, see Appliance Recycling Law Guide
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay at a convenience store?
The post-office transfer system does not list convenience-store payment. RKC guidance describes payment at Japan Post / Yucho counters or their ATMs.
What if I lose the ticket or receipt?
Contact the post office where you paid and RKC guidance promptly. Keep receipts until the unit is accepted.
What if the collection site refuses the unit?
Ask on the spot why (ticket mismatch, unreadable label, outside hours, etc.). You may need a corrected ticket or another site.
What if the model number is unreadable?
You may still proceed if manufacturer, item type, and size class are clear. The site still needs readable maker/model marks—photos of any remaining text help.
Can I use this method if I do not know the purchase store?
Yes. Not knowing the purchase store is not a barrier to buying a ticket and self-delivering. If you can transport the unit and know manufacturer, item type, and size class, follow this article.
If you need retailer take-back or pickup without a car, read Disposal When the Store Is Unknown.
Sources
- RKC — Post-office/postal-bank payment method (verified 2026-07-04)
- RKC — How to complete the ticket (Japanese) (verified 2026-07-04)
- RKC — Major manufacturer fee tables (verified 2026-07-04)
- RKC — Designated collection site search (verified 2026-07-04)
- AEHA — Drop-off procedure (verified 2026-07-04)