Moving Guide

Sendai City General Call Center (Mori-no-miyako Teach Me Helpline)
TEL: 022-398-4894　FAX: 022-398-5070
Get answers to questions on such matters as procedures at the City Hall and ward offices. Hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (365 days a year. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and (national) holidays.)
Languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Nepali

Large Quantities of Waste When Moving House

You can NOT put out bulky waste or large quantities of waste at household waste collection points. Please dispose of them via one of the following ways (fees required). However, four kinds of household electric appliances (air conditioners, TV sets, refrigerators/freezers, washing machines/clothes dryers) and appliances such as PCs are NOT collected by the city. For more details on how to dispose of these items, please check the official website of the City of Sendai or inquire at the numbers below.

1. Apply for bulky waste collection (Collection is done about once every two weeks)
   Over-the-phone application: Call the Bulky Waste Reception Center for pickup (application required) TEL: 022-716-5301
   You can also apply via the official website of the City of Sendai.
2. Apply for large quantity of waste collection (Including bulky waste)
   Over-the-phone application: Call the collection office of the ward in which you reside (application required). 
   (If your residence is located within the jurisdiction of either Miyagi or Akiu General Branch, contact the Miyagi Eisei Kankyo Kosha TEL: 022-393-2216)
3. Bring waste in yourself
   Imaizumi Waste Incineration Plant
    (103 Kamishinden, Imaizumi, Wakabayashi-ku TEL: 022-289-4671)
   Kuzuoka Waste Incineration Plant
   (57-1 Kuzuoka, Goroku, Aoba-ku TEL: 022-277-5399)

Inquiries: 
Aoba Collection Office TEL: 022-277-5300
Miyagino Collection Office TEL: 022-236-5300
Wakabayashi Collection Office TEL: 022-289-2051
Taihaku Collection Office TEL: 022-248-5300
Izumi Collection Office TEL: 022-773-5300
Household Waste Reduction Section TEL: 022-214-8227

Offices that Handle Procedures Related to Moving In/Out Notifications and Medical Expenses Subsidies, etc.

• Moving In/Out Notification
  Family and Resident Registration Section of each ward office,
  Taxation and Resident Registration Section of Miyagi General Branch, General Affairs Section of Akiu General Branch, and Family and Resident Registration Section of the Sendai Station Service Center, Aoba Ward Office (5th Floor of AER Building, only for those whose new or previous address is/was in Aoba Ward)
• Applying for Child/Single-parent Household Medical Expenses Subsidies, Child Allowance, etc.
  Childcare and Benefit Section of each Ward Office, Public Health and Welfare Section of each general branch
• Medical Expenses Subsidy for Mentally or Physically Disabled Persons
  Disabled and Senior Citizens Welfare Section of each ward office and Miyagi General Branch, Public Health and Welfare Section of Akiu General Branch
• Motorized Bicycles (vehicles such as motorcycles with 125cc or less)
  Taxation and Accounting Section of each ward office, Taxation and Resident Registration Section of Miyagi General Branch, and General Affairs Section of Akiu General Branch.

Public Utility Fees, etc.

• Gas (Customer Center, Gas Bureau)
  TEL: 0800-800-8978 (Toll Free) for moving in/out only
• Water (Call Center, Waterworks Bureau)
  TEL: 022-748-1111
• NHK (NHK Fureai Call Center)
  TEL: 0120-151515 (Toll Free)
• Electricity 
  Please contact the electricity supplier which you have a contract with for information on matters such as starting or terminating your electricity service.

Entering or Transferring Elementary School or Junior High School

Inquiries: School Affairs Section TEL: 022-214-8860

Ward Office Counters to Offer Services on Sundays and Extended Hours until 6:00 p.m. on Weekdays During Peak Moving Season

(1)Sunday Counter Days of Operation

• Dates: March 30 (Sun), April 6 (Sun) 
• Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Offices: Family and Resident Registration Section of each ward office
  ※General branches will not be open on Sundays

(2)Weekday Extended Hours

• Period: March 21 (Fri) - April 4 (Fri) (Weekdays only)
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. （Hours of operation for general branches remains unchanged (until 5:00 p.m.））
• Offices: Family and Resident Registration Section of each ward office, Family and Resident Registration Section of the Sendai Station Service Center, Aoba Ward Office (5th Floor of AER Building. Only for those whose new/previous address is/was in Aoba Ward)
  ※The busiest time period is from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is expected that the offices will be most crowded on March 21 (Fri), 24 (Mon), 28 (Fri), 31 (Mon), April 1 (Tue), and 4 (Fri).
  ※You can check the status of numbers called out as well as how many people are waiting in line whether you are home or away by checking the City of Sendai’s official website.

(3)Available procedures (Limited to notifications regarding change of address)

• Reception of Moving In/Out Notifications, Notifications of Change of Address for National Health Insurance, National Pension, or Long-term Care Insurance.
• Designation of schools for students who have transferred.
• Issuing Resident Records, Certificates of Family Register, and Seal Registration Certificates, etc.

Inquiries: Family and Resident Registration Section of each ward office

Notice Regarding City Bus Services

• The Schedule for Sendai City Buses will change on April 1.
  Please check the new schedule for Sendai City buses, which will be distributed starting from March 17 (Mon) and can also be found on the official website of the Sendai City Transportation Bureau. Physical copies of the schedule can be received via post or fax. Please also note that schedules will no longer be available at locations such as City Information Desks at ward offices. For more details please inquire at the Transportation Bureau Information Center.

Inquiries: Transportation Bureau Information Center TEL: 022-222-2256

Water & Sewerage Fee Reduction and Exemption for Households Receiving Welfare and Households Receiving Support Benefits

• Reduction and Exemption Period: Starting from the month following application until March 2026.
• Eligibility: Households receiving welfare and households that are recipients of “Support Benefits for Remaining Japanese in China, etc.”
• Amount of Reduction or Exemption: Basic fees for water and all fees for sewerage.
• If you are applying to receive the reduction or exemption for the first time, or have been receiving the reduction or exemption but have not submitted a letter of consent, please submit your application at the Welfare Section of Miyagi General Branch or the ward office from which you are receiving the subsidy.
• Depending on the type of building you reside in and/or the status of water usage, you may not be eligible for these reduction and exemptions.

Inquiries: Southern Waterworks Service Center, Waterworks Bureau TEL: 022-304-0020, 
Operation Section, Construction Bureau TEL: 022-214-8337

Recruitment of Volunteers to Assist Returnees and Foreign Students 

The Sendai Board of Education is recruiting volunteers who can interpret and teach using easy Japanese in elementary and junior high schools operated by the City of Sendai.

• Requirement: People conversant in languages such as English, Chinese, Nepali, Vietnamese and Indonesian who also speak Japanese
• Gratuity will be paid
• For more details, please check the official website of the City of Sendai or inquire at the following section

Inquiries: Educational Supervision Section TEL: 022-214-8875

 Consultations for Starting a Business

1. Consultations for matters related to starting a business
   Date and time: March 19 (Wed) 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
   Who it’s for: People who are considering starting a business or have just started a business. Limited to the first 30 applicants. 
2. Consultation for Foreign Entrepreneurs
   Date and time: March 27 (Thu) 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
   Who it’s for: Foreigners, including international students, that are interested in starting a business or have been running a business for approximately 5 years or less. 
   Limited to the first 10 applicants.

• Venue: AER Building 7F
• Content: Individual consultations with relevant experts on starting/running a business.
• How to apply: 
  Apply by phone from 9:00 a.m. on March 6. You can also apply through the ASSISTA website( External link ) . 

Inquiries: Sendai City Industrial Promotion Organization TEL: 022-724-1124

Tax Notices

The Deadlines for Filing Inhabitant and Income Tax Returns etc., are Approaching

1. Inhabitant Tax: Deadline of declaration is March 17 (Mon)
   Inquiries: Inhabitant Tax Section TEL: 022-214-8637 【Aoba and Izumi ward】TEL: 022-214-8638 【Miyagino, Wakabayashi, and Taihaku ward】
2. Income Tax and Special Income Tax for Reconstruction , and Gift Tax : Deadline of declaration is March 17 (Mon)
3. Consumption and Local Consumption Tax es: Deadline of declaration is March 31 (Mon)

Inquiries: Sendai-kita Tax Office TEL: 022-222-8121, Sendai-naka Tax Office TEL: 022-783-7831, Sendai-minami Tax Office TEL: 022-306-8001

Please submit your tax declaration via post or through the e-Tax service that  can be found on the National Tax Agency Website.

Those who are required to declare taxes are required to file their tax returns within the respective deadline. Please submit the declaration of inhabitant tax via post. To file your final income and other tax returns, please fill in your tax declaration using the e-Tax service, which can be accessed through smartphones or PCs.

Currently Accepting Applications for Municipal Housing
―Applications Open Until March 16 (Sun)―

• The "Application Guide for Sendai City Municipal Housing" will be distributed starting from March 6 (Thu) at locations such as the following:
  Application Section of the Sendai City Construction Public Corporation (Sendai City Hall Kokubuncho Building 2nd Floor)
  Sendai Information Center (Sendai City Hall 2nd Floor)
  City Information Desk of each ward office
  General branches
  Family and Resident Registration Section of the Sendai Station Service Center, Aoba Ward Office (AER Building 5th Floor)
  Certificate Issuance Center
  Central Civic Center of each ward
  Sendai City Council of Social Welfare offices in each ward
  Lifelong Learning Promotion Center
• How to apply: Choose one municipal housing unit from the chart, fill out the application form attached to the Application Guide and mail in the form using the provided envelope by March 16 (Sun). In the event that the number of applications exceeds that of available housing units, decisions will be made via lottery.
• Earliest move in date: May 31 (Sat), 2025 (tentative)
• Eligibility: Individuals who fulfill all of the following requirements.

1. Those who are facing difficulties in their current housing situation.
2. Those with relatives whom they are currently living together with or are planning to move in together with.
3. Those who reside or work in Sendai City.

There are other conditions such as that one's income must be lower than a certain amount. For more details, please see the Application Guide.
Applications are also accepted from individuals who previously resided in areas under evacuation orders by the 2011 nuclear disaster, evacuees who previously resided in areas eligible for support based on the Children and Victims Support Act, and victims of domestic violence and crimes. However, application requirements may differ. Please inquire for further details.
Inquiries: Application Section of the Sendai City Construction Public Corporation
TEL: 022-214-3604

Notice Regarding Japanese Classes

Japanese citizen volunteers provide Japanese lessons for foreign residents living in Sendai City.
Multilingual Information can be found on the website of the SenTIA International Relations Department( External link ). 

(1)Sendai Japanese Language Course (Term1)

• Term Period: April 8 (Tue) - September 12 (Fri) (There will be a placement test on April 4 (Fri), starting at 9:30 a.m.)
• Day of Class: Every Tue. - Fri. (differs between classes)
• Location: Aoba Ward Central Civic Center (2-1-4 Ichibancho, Aoba-ku)
• Classes: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Kanji, etc.
• Textbook costs to be covered by the student
• For more information and to apply for this class please check the website of SenTIA.

(2)Japanese Learner’s Room (Japanese classes for foreign residents) (childcare services available)

• Day and Time of Class: Every Wed. and Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
• Location: Yagiyama Civic Center (1-43 Yagiyama-Honcho, Taihaku-ku)
• Classes: Beginner, Post-Beginner, Beginner-Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate
• Textbook costs to be covered by the student
• You can join the class at any time.

(3)Nihongo no mori (Local Japanese Classroom)

• Day and Time of Class: Every Tue. and Fri. 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
• Location: Room A403, 4th Floor, Lecture Rooms A, Kawauchi Campus, Tohoku University (41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku)
• Reservations are NOT required. Please come directly to the Center.

Inquiries for (1) and (3): SenTIA TEL: 022-268-6260
Inquiries for (2): Yagiyama Civic Center: TEL: 022-228-1190

There are other Japanese classes available in Sendai City.
For more details, please visit SenTIA’s website.

Japanese( External link )｜English( External link )｜Chinese( External link )｜Korean( External link )｜Vietnamese( External link )｜Nepali( External link )

If you wish to make an inquiry in a foreign language, please call the Sendai Multicultural Center Interpretation Support Hotline.
TEL: 022-224-1919