Because of the neurotic fear that "terrorists" might plant dangerous articles in them. They were removed after the Aum mob planted sarin on Tokyo subways. Why there are none now with no perceived threat, who knows?
Let's face it, if you have bins for trash, then you have to hire people to empty the bins. Which Japan had plenty of back in the day. An army of workers who would empty the bins. Usually, but not always, elderly / older workers.
But, of course, when budgets start to get tight, bureaucrats look for ways to "cost down".
And the Aum sarin gas attack in 1995 provided a perfect excuse. Gotta remove the bins because of potential safety concerns / threats. Trains, subways, stations, public places, etc. etc.
Perhaps genuine concern at the outset.
But, the bureaucrats figured out this was a convenient excuse to eliminate bins.... and, thus, eliminate the busy bin cleaners.
However.....
Benches and bins go hand-in-hand. You give someone a place to sit, they will inevitably want to stop and have a drink or eat something.
And, thus, if you have benches, then people will complain about no bins. And, of course, if you have to have bins because of benches, then you have to have a bin emptying army.
So, naturally, no benches because benches will lead to demands for bins. Which are not possible because of terrorist threats.
Thus, no benches because of not wanting to have to provide bins.
And not wanting to provide bins is really about not wanting to have to pay someone to empty them!!
I can understand the bins issue, but the bench thing is more irksome for me. I think there is something in the idea that we must all be treated the same and without favoritism. If there are places for some people to sit, then there should be benches for all people to sit. There is also the issue of people not wanting others to hang around near where they live. Benches in large parks is one thing, but smaller neighbourhood parks will attract other people to hang around in the area, which is undesirable. As Zones said above, if people are hanging in a particular area, they'll eventually eat or drink or smoke and leave there mess too, and this creates bother.
All valid points above. As for benches, I’d add that Japan doesn’t have a “hanging around culture.” People are supposed to march around to their designated shopping and eating destinations and then promptly go home. If they want to rest their feet, they go to a coffee shop. This is how urban infrastructure is planned in Japan, to a greater extent than anywhere else I have been to in the world. Things have been gradually changing, though. Outdoor seating in cities, once nearly non-existent, has gradually become more common.
I’m reminded of the differences when I see foreign tourists in Shibuya doing things like sitting on the curb while drinking their combini coffees. LOL. And by the way, “manners” has nothing to do with it.
What GuruMick says. Household rubbish was a particular problem during long national holidays like new year when the area around bins would be filled with bags of household rubbish.
We rented an apartment for our son recently. It has a gomi station on site, which the real estate guy said made things much easier. Folks in that neighbourhood who don't have one have an hour on certain mornings to put out their gomi at a designated spot in a designated bag or incur the wrath of their neighbours. Any earlier or later than that one hour period is unacceptable. It doesn't matter when your job starts or what your commute is. On hearing this, I can understand why folks may end up using a garbage can in the park. Yes, some it will be tightwads not wanting to spend 50 yen on a designated gomi bag, but others will just be unavailable at designated gomi hour.
All valid points above. As for benches, I’d add that Japan doesn’t have a “hanging around culture.” People are supposed to march around to their designated shopping and eating destinations and then promptly go home. If they want to rest their feet, they go to a coffee shop. This is how urban infrastructure is planned in Japan, to a greater extent than anywhere else I have been to in the world. Things have been gradually changing, though. Outdoor seating in cities, once nearly non-existent, has gradually become more common.
I’m reminded of the differences when I see foreign tourists in Shibuya doing things like sitting on the curb while drinking their combini coffees. LOL. And by the way, “manners” has nothing to do with it.
I've made those exact observations as well. Plus, the conbini is one of the few places that carries trash bins so the logical thing to do if you buy a coffee from that store is to hang around nearby so that you can safely dispose of it when you are done.
Seriously though, walking around in Tokyo, especially during the summer heat can really take a toll on your feet. Naturally you go into these coffee shops to catch a break and enjoy the cool air, but then you still have to wait a bit before you can sit down because everyone is thinking the same thing. It's really hard not to spend any money when you go outside especially in urban areas.
Money and consumption are the main god and goddess here. So if you ever dare and move into public space you shall buy a lot or at least something and take it all to your home for consuming. Walking in generously big green or parks and then relaxing on a bench especially when exhausted or being one of the increasingly older people, or then even consuming in public and thinking of throwing away the packaging or remainders, and then all this hopefully for free or on everyone's tax, that is here not your role and purpose in society and when leaving your home and moving around in public space. Commute, work hard, shop as much you can carry, those are your duties. Benches and garbage bins have nothing to do with that.
The community want you to take your rubbish home, dispose in the correct bag, purchased at any supermarket, and deposit in the designated local community "shed" on the correct day.
I write on my waste calendar, all the dates over a month, a discipline your community will politely insist you observe.
It is a religion.
However for foreign tourists, can you see the wrinkle?
It all comes down to money - they just don't want to use up their precious budget on infrastructure that serves the public because then they can't use it to get wasted at some izakaya or get their jollies from a maid cafe.
Benches and bins go together and are plentiful around the world. It works! Japan just looks like a loser in comparison. Everyone who visits here mentions it. Embarrassing.
completely agree. There is no outdoor seating culture here like in Europe or SE Asia or even China/Taiwan/Sk. It's not financially profitable so it's ingrained in Japanese you must pay a premium to sit inside a cafe/bar/restaurant. I luckily have a nice park with benches adjacent to my apt complex. I regularly buy a beer or coffee from the supermarket and sit in the park people watching. I played Futsal, guys would regularly go to a bar after games, I convinced them to go to the convenience store and sit outside in a small park instead. It was like discovering gravity.
Personally, want to see more far more 'eco' recycle garbage bins that're typically color coded, win for everyone, and builds habit of recycling with bin for burnable trash
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BertieWooster
Because of the neurotic fear that "terrorists" might plant dangerous articles in them. They were removed after the Aum mob planted sarin on Tokyo subways. Why there are none now with no perceived threat, who knows?
zones2surf
This starts with the bins.
Let's face it, if you have bins for trash, then you have to hire people to empty the bins. Which Japan had plenty of back in the day. An army of workers who would empty the bins. Usually, but not always, elderly / older workers.
But, of course, when budgets start to get tight, bureaucrats look for ways to "cost down".
And the Aum sarin gas attack in 1995 provided a perfect excuse. Gotta remove the bins because of potential safety concerns / threats. Trains, subways, stations, public places, etc. etc.
Perhaps genuine concern at the outset.
But, the bureaucrats figured out this was a convenient excuse to eliminate bins.... and, thus, eliminate the busy bin cleaners.
However.....
Benches and bins go hand-in-hand. You give someone a place to sit, they will inevitably want to stop and have a drink or eat something.
And, thus, if you have benches, then people will complain about no bins. And, of course, if you have to have bins because of benches, then you have to have a bin emptying army.
So, naturally, no benches because benches will lead to demands for bins. Which are not possible because of terrorist threats.
Thus, no benches because of not wanting to have to provide bins.
And not wanting to provide bins is really about not wanting to have to pay someone to empty them!!
Negative Nancy
I can understand the bins issue, but the bench thing is more irksome for me. I think there is something in the idea that we must all be treated the same and without favoritism. If there are places for some people to sit, then there should be benches for all people to sit. There is also the issue of people not wanting others to hang around near where they live. Benches in large parks is one thing, but smaller neighbourhood parks will attract other people to hang around in the area, which is undesirable. As Zones said above, if people are hanging in a particular area, they'll eventually eat or drink or smoke and leave there mess too, and this creates bother.
GuruMick
I think bins "attract " rubbish from households and once the behaviour sets in, soon its a place to leave lounge chairs or car batteries.
Saw this in Osakas outskirts.
Benches attract homeless and poor people...so cant have this either.
JeffLee
All valid points above. As for benches, I’d add that Japan doesn’t have a “hanging around culture.” People are supposed to march around to their designated shopping and eating destinations and then promptly go home. If they want to rest their feet, they go to a coffee shop. This is how urban infrastructure is planned in Japan, to a greater extent than anywhere else I have been to in the world. Things have been gradually changing, though. Outdoor seating in cities, once nearly non-existent, has gradually become more common.
I’m reminded of the differences when I see foreign tourists in Shibuya doing things like sitting on the curb while drinking their combini coffees. LOL. And by the way, “manners” has nothing to do with it.
Hello Kitty 321
What GuruMick says. Household rubbish was a particular problem during long national holidays like new year when the area around bins would be filled with bags of household rubbish.
kohakuebisu
We rented an apartment for our son recently. It has a gomi station on site, which the real estate guy said made things much easier. Folks in that neighbourhood who don't have one have an hour on certain mornings to put out their gomi at a designated spot in a designated bag or incur the wrath of their neighbours. Any earlier or later than that one hour period is unacceptable. It doesn't matter when your job starts or what your commute is. On hearing this, I can understand why folks may end up using a garbage can in the park. Yes, some it will be tightwads not wanting to spend 50 yen on a designated gomi bag, but others will just be unavailable at designated gomi hour.
SDCA
I've made those exact observations as well. Plus, the conbini is one of the few places that carries trash bins so the logical thing to do if you buy a coffee from that store is to hang around nearby so that you can safely dispose of it when you are done.
Seriously though, walking around in Tokyo, especially during the summer heat can really take a toll on your feet. Naturally you go into these coffee shops to catch a break and enjoy the cool air, but then you still have to wait a bit before you can sit down because everyone is thinking the same thing. It's really hard not to spend any money when you go outside especially in urban areas.
Sven Asai
Money and consumption are the main god and goddess here. So if you ever dare and move into public space you shall buy a lot or at least something and take it all to your home for consuming. Walking in generously big green or parks and then relaxing on a bench especially when exhausted or being one of the increasingly older people, or then even consuming in public and thinking of throwing away the packaging or remainders, and then all this hopefully for free or on everyone's tax, that is here not your role and purpose in society and when leaving your home and moving around in public space. Commute, work hard, shop as much you can carry, those are your duties. Benches and garbage bins have nothing to do with that.
itsonlyrocknroll
The community want you to take your rubbish home, dispose in the correct bag, purchased at any supermarket, and deposit in the designated local community "shed" on the correct day.
I write on my waste calendar, all the dates over a month, a discipline your community will politely insist you observe.
It is a religion.
However for foreign tourists, can you see the wrinkle?
TaiwanIsNotChina
So much for the Wa.
factchecker
Tightwad councils too cheap to pay people to empty and maintain them. They'd rather pay for idiotic rangers to drive around doing an un needed job.
purple_depressed_bacon
It all comes down to money - they just don't want to use up their precious budget on infrastructure that serves the public because then they can't use it to get wasted at some izakaya or get their jollies from a maid cafe.
Patricia Yarrow
Benches and bins go together and are plentiful around the world. It works! Japan just looks like a loser in comparison. Everyone who visits here mentions it. Embarrassing.
fa477279
Jefflee
completely agree. There is no outdoor seating culture here like in Europe or SE Asia or even China/Taiwan/Sk. It's not financially profitable so it's ingrained in Japanese you must pay a premium to sit inside a cafe/bar/restaurant. I luckily have a nice park with benches adjacent to my apt complex. I regularly buy a beer or coffee from the supermarket and sit in the park people watching. I played Futsal, guys would regularly go to a bar after games, I convinced them to go to the convenience store and sit outside in a small park instead. It was like discovering gravity.
HopeSpringsEternal
Personally, want to see more far more 'eco' recycle garbage bins that're typically color coded, win for everyone, and builds habit of recycling with bin for burnable trash