If you’ve ever walked the streets of Japan, you might have had this thought：“Why is everything so clean here?” This is rooted in the Japanese parenting practices that nurtured superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Today, I’d like to talk about a simple but powerful habit in Japan. Taking your own trash home, and the quiet impact it has on ourselves and our communities.
If you’ve ever walked the streets of Japan, you might have had this thought：“Why is everything so clean here?” It’s true—many visitors are amazed at how spotless our cities are. But then they notice something strange：There aren’t many public trash cans. So… where does all the trash go?
Well, here in Japan, we’re taught from a very young age：“If you made the trash, you take it home”. This is something we learn both at home, and in school. It’s just part of how we grow up. For example, after a school sports day, kids, teachers, and parents all help clean up the field together.In some schools, picking up trash in the neighborhood is even part of class time, because taking care of public spaces is part of our learning. You might even see office workers sweeping the sidewalk in front of their building in the morning.
Now, Japan didn’t always have so few trash cans. When I was younger, probably up until around 1990, there were many trash cans in parks and train stations. And I remember trash overflowing from them.
But in the late 1990s, many public trash cans were removed across Japan.One reason was to prevent the illegal dumping of household waste — and another was to reduce the risk of terrorism.
Oddly enough, when the trash cans disappeared so did a lot of the litter. And that’s when the habit of taking your trash home really started to grow.
Let me share a recent story from my own life.Every morning, my daughter and I go for a walk. We leave at the same time, but take different routes. We walk separately because we both have our favorite paths, depending on our mood that day. And usually, we come back around the same time. One morning, I saw an empty cookie boxleft under a bench by the river. It caught my eye, so I picked it up and brought it home.Just as I threw it in the trash can, my daughter walked in the door. She was holding a piece of trash too! We both just laughed.Same walk, same instinct, same family.
That moment reminded me：Picking up trash isn’t just for the street or for other people. It’s also for ourselves. No one’s watching you. No one’s going to scold you if you leave it. But if it bothers you, and you ignore it…well, you know that you ignored it. So when you act on that small feeling, you actually feel a bit lighter inside. Of course, some trash just isn’t worth touching. Too big, too sticky, too suspicious (;´∀｀). But just picking up one small wrappercan clean up a few inches of sidewalk, and even lift your mood.
I once saw a clip of Shohei Ohtani—Japan’s baseball superstar in the MLB. During a game, he spotted a piece of trash on the field, picked it up, and slipped it into his pocket. He probably grew up hearing the same words：“If you made the mess, you clean it up”.
One small action can make a place cleaner, make others feel cared for,and bring a little peace to your own heart. Take care of what you leave behind. It sounds simple, but it holds great value.
I hope today’s story gave you some inspirationfor your life and parenting journey. Try picking up just one piece of litter in your neighborhood. You might be surprised by how refreshing it feels. Even better, try it together with your child.What are your thoughts?How is it in your country?I would love to hear your opinions in the comments.
🔽 If you enjoyed this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel.