LIVING IN KANAZAWA

1. Utilities
2. Telephone Services
3. Garbage Disposal

When you start living in private housing, you need to complete certain procedures for receiving water, gas and electric services.
The most convenient way to pay for utilities is to have the charges automatically deducted from your bank account. (See the article of Banks and Post offices)
Or you can pay at convenience stores, banks or post offices with the bill that is sent to you.

WATER

Since Japan has plenty of good quality water and good sanitation, tap water is drinkable.
To begin to receive service, contact the Kanazawa Water & Energy Center at 220-2555.

GAS

Generally you can choose to use either City gas or LPG (Liquid Propane Gas). You must meet with a representative of the gas company in order to start receiving City Gas service. For City Gas service, contact the Kanazawa Water & Energy Center(Tel 220-2555). For LPG, contact your local sales agent.
When using gas equipment, check to see that it conforms to the type of gas supplied.

ELECTRICITY

Japan uses a 100 volt-50/60 hertz system and Ishikawa Prefecture, where Kanazawa University is located, uses 100 volts at 60 hertz, so make sure your electrical equipment is suitable.
Plugs used in Japan are TYPE-A as shown below.

Contact the Ishikawa Branch, Hokuriku Electric Power Co. at 0120-15-6453 (toll-free, unavailable from cell phones) or 231-1212 for electricity usage.
You can apply for the service on the Internet.
(https://www2.rikuden.co.jp/iteigyo/ (Japanese only))

TELEPHONE SERVICES

REGULAR TELEPHONE
To connect your phone, please dial NTT(a telephone company) directly at 116 or see a representative at NTT branches/sales agents.

Also, the procedure can be done on the NTT Website. （http://net116.ntt-west.co.jp/ (Japanese only)）

There are several telephone companies including NTT that provide international and/or long-distance call services. To make a call through those telephone companies, you need to dial the phone company's access code before telephone numbers.
Also, after your phone is connected, you can arrange for those companies to be your main phone company for each of international, long-distance and local calls respectively.

Here is how to make international calls from Japan and the Web sites of major telephone companies for your information.

TELEPHONE COMPANY	ACCESS CODE	WEB SITE
KDDI	００１	www.kddi.com/service_e/private/
JAPAN TELECOM	００４１	www.japan-telecom.co.jp/english/consumer/
NTT COMMUNICATIONS	００３３	http://www.ntt.com/index-e.html

CELLULAR PHONES
Cellular phones is an alternative option for those who are going to stay in Japan for a short period.
You can purchase and apply for the cell phone services at electronics stores.

TELEPHONE CARDS
Telephone Cards come in 500-yen and 1,000-yen types. Cards are available at NTT, vending machines next to public phones, most convenience stores, and the University Coop store.

GARBAGE DISPOSAL

Free of charge, Kanazawa City carries out garbage disposal on designated dates. The collection dates vary, so please ask your landlord, neighbors or the Recycling Promotion Section, Kanazawa City (TEL: 220-2525).

It is necessary to keep these rules when you have garbage collected.
1) Put out on the designated day and at the designated time (by 8:30 a.m.).
You must not put your garbage out and leave it thorough the night before the collection day.
2) Place at designated location
3) Separate your garbage according to the following types before disposal.

TYPES	COLLECTION SCHEDULE	ACCEPTABLE ITEMS
Combustible Garbage (Moyasu Gomi)	Twice a week	kitchen scraps, cigarette butts, paper scraps and clothing
Noncombustible Garbage (Moyasanai Gomi)	Once a month	Landfill Garbage (Umetate gomi): Rice bowls, plates, plastic items, shoes, leather products, futons, mattresses, furniture, cosmetic bottles, personal computers, etc.
Noncombustible Garbage (Moyasanai Gomi)	Once a month	Metal excluding empty cans (Kinzoku gomi): Items that are composed of 80% or more metal, spray cans (puncture before disposal), pots, kettles, metal hangers, etc.

Please put garbage in semi-transparent plastic bags (available in shops) and make sure to close them before disposal. Supermarket shopping bags are acceptable if they are semi-transparent. Do not use black bags, cardboard boxes or paper bags.

TYPES	COLLECTION SCHEDULE	ACCEPTABLE ITEMS
Recyclable Resources	Twice a month	Cans for beverages and food Plastic PET bottles Items with mercury: Fluorescent lights, batteries, thermometers, etc. Containers/Wrapping: Supermarket shopping bags, plastic bags, styrofoam containers and boxes, etc.
Bottles (for foods and beverages)	Once a month	Only recycle bottles used for food and beverages. Broken items are also accepted.

Electric Appliance Recycling

Kanazawa City does not collect TVs, air-conditioners, refrigerators or washing machines.
You should ask an appliance store or a reuse collection company to pick up your used appliance. In either case, you need to pay a transportation fee and a separate recycling fee.

Further details are available on brochures and Web site offered by Kanazawa City （http://www.city.kanazawa.ishikawa.jp/recycle/index.html Japanese only）. You can inquire at Recycling Promotion Section, Kanazawa City (TEL：220-2525) as well.