Which Municipalities Are Cheapest for Pet Cremation? Drop-Off Fees Ranked, 814 Cities Nationwide
Last updated: August 8, 2026
Among the 352 municipalities where a drop-off fee could be confirmed, the median is around ¥2,550. The cheapest tier starts around ¥100.
- Out of 814 municipalities surveyed nationwide, 352 had a fee we could confirm from the official site (as of August 2026)
- Cheaper isn't always better — much of the low price reflects communal cremation with no ash return, a difference in what's included
- The ranking below covers the top 30. Cities not listed here can be checked by prefecture on the next page
Drop-off fees vary widely by municipality. Out of the 814 municipalities covered in ournationwide municipal pickup guide, we ranked the 352 cities where a fee was stated clearly enough on the official site to confirm, from cheapest to most expensive.
What to watch for with a cheap municipality
Before the list — the price difference is often a difference in what's included. In what we found, most of the cheaper municipalities use communal cremation, together with other animals, and don't support ash return. Municipalities on the pricier side more often provide individual cremation, a dedicated furnace, or an ash-return option — generally a fuller service.
In other words, a higher price is not automatically a worse deal. Which municipality is "right" depends on whether communal cremation is acceptable to you, or whether you want the ashes back. If ash return matters more than price, check our list of municipalities that return ashes as well.
Top 30 cheapest municipalities for drop-off
| City / ward | Prefecture | Fee | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omura (大村市) | Nagasaki | ¥100 | ¥100 (drop-off at the Environment Center, prior contact required; weekdays 8:30-11:30/13:00-16:45, Saturday 8:30-11:30) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Kobayashi (小林市) | Miyazaki | ¥100 | ¥100 per animal (Kobayashi City fee ordinance. Drop-off at the cleaning plant. States explicitly that ashes cannot be returned) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Sukagawa (須賀川市) | Fukushima | ¥200 | ¥200 per animal (place it in a cardboard box, etc. and bring it directly to Sukagawa Regional Sanitation Center) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Ota (太田市) | Gunma | ¥200 | Drop off at Clean Plaza, ¥200 per animal (weekdays 8:30–12:00, 13:00–16:45 / Saturdays 8:30–12:00, excluding holidays) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Midori (みどり市) | Gunma | ¥200 | Cremation at Kiryu City Crematorium: under 1kg ¥1,100 / under 10kg ¥3,300 / under 20kg ¥5,500 (for dogs, cats, and birds). Drop-off at Kiryu City Cleaning Center: dogs ¥520 / cats ¥200 | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Kudamatsu (下松市) | Yamaguchi | ¥200 | ¥200 per animal (direct drop-off) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Yanai (柳井市) | Yamaguchi | ¥200 | ¥200 per animal (drop-off; bring it in a box to the Citizens' Life Division) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Nobeoka (延岡市) | Miyazaki | ¥200 | ¥200 per animal (tax included). Drop-off at the cleaning plant (Mon-Fri 8:45 am-5:00 pm, Sat 8:45 am-4:30 pm, closed noon-1:00 pm) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Sasebo (佐世保市) | Nagasaki | ¥210 | ¥210 (Eastern/Western Clean Center / Environment Center) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Fukuyama (福山市) | Hiroshima | ¥300 | Fukuyama Environmental Beautification Center ¥300; Southern, Western, Northern, and Eastern Environmental Centers ¥1,000 | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Ojiya (小千谷市) | Niigata | ¥300 | Drop-off directly at Tokimizu Cleaning Plant. ¥300 for 100kg or under, plus ¥30 for each additional 10kg | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Tokamachi (十日町市) | Niigata | ¥300 | ¥300 (cremated at the Eco Clean Center) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Moriguchi (守口市) | Osaka | ¥300 | ¥300–¥3,000 via waste processing ticket (treated as bulky waste) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Sakurai (桜井市) | Nara | ¥300 | ¥300 (processing fee) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Niihama (新居浜市) | Ehime | ¥300 | Drop-off at the Cleaning Center, ¥300 per animal (owned dogs and cats must be brought in by the owner) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Kashiwa (柏市) | Chiba | ¥330 | ¥330 at the North/South Clean Center, ¥1,650 at Shirasagi | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Shiojiri (塩尻市) | Nagano | ¥330 | Drop-off allowed at Shiojiri Clean Center. ¥330 per animal. Place in a plastic bag inside a cardboard box no larger than 34cm wide x 50cm long x 40cm deep; items over 25kg or outside the specified size are not accepted | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Matsuyama (松山市) | Ehime | ¥400 | ¥400 (free for animals of unknown ownership) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Saga (佐賀市) | Saga | ¥400 | ¥400 | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Yawata (八幡市) | Kyoto | ¥400 | Cats and small dogs ¥400 per animal, dogs (medium-sized or larger) ¥800 per animal | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Niiza (新座市) | Saitama | ¥420 | Drop-off at Niiza Environmental Center. Dogs ¥1,050 per animal, cats ¥420 per animal, others ¥210 per kilogram | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Fujimi (富士見市) | Saitama | ¥420 | Self-transport to Niiza Environmental Center. Dogs ¥1,050 per animal, cats ¥420 per animal, others ¥210 per kilogram | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Chiba (千葉市) | Chiba | ¥500 | ¥500 | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Nagoya (名古屋市) | Aichi | ¥500 | ¥500 (Environmental Services Office) / ¥1,100–4,400 (Yagoto Saijo) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Kochi (高知市) | Kochi | ¥500 | ¥500 (free if left on a public road) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Oshu (奥州市) | Iwate | ¥500 | ¥500 (direct drop-off at Tanko District Sanitation Center; processing fee) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Sagae (寒河江市) | Yamagata | ¥500 | ¥500 per animal (bring directly in a cardboard box to Sagae City Clean Center) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Shinshiro (新城市) | Aichi | ¥500 | Dogs ¥1,000 (per animal) / cats and other small animals ¥500 (per animal) (Clean Center) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Shikokuchuo (四国中央市) | Ehime | ¥500 | Drop off at the main office Living Environment Division or any branch office service counter, ¥500 per animal (incinerated at the Clean Center) | Official page (in Japanese) |
| Miyakonojo (都城市) | Miyazaki | ¥500 | ¥500 (tax included). Drop off at Miyakonojo City Clean Center. | Official page (in Japanese) |
Fees reflect each city's official page as of August 2026. Weight brackets and resident-only conditions may apply — confirm the details on the source page before you apply.
Fee distribution overall
Among the 352 municipalities we could judge, the ¥1,001–3,000 band is the largest at 144 municipalities, followed by ¥0–1,000 at 86. Only 5 municipalities fall in the ¥10,001 and up band.
- ¥0–1,000: 86 municipalities
- ¥1,001–3,000: 144 municipalities
- ¥3,001–5,000: 67 municipalities
- ¥5,001–10,000: 50 municipalities
- ¥10,001 and up: 5 municipalities
If your city isn't in the top 30
Cities outside the top 30 aren't covered in this list. Pick your prefecture below to see the fee and how to apply for every city in it.
Hokkaido & Tohoku
Kanto
Chubu
Kinki (Kansai)
Chugoku
Shikoku
Kyushu & Okinawa
Municipal pickup services nationwide (browse by prefecture)
Frequently asked questions
How does municipal cremation differ from a private company?
Municipalities mostly use communal cremation at a waste incineration facility, together with other animals — cheaper than a private company, and ashes are not returned as a rule. Private companies let you choose between communal, individual (unattended), and witnessed individual cremation; individual cremation lets you keep the ashes, at a higher price.
Do the cheapest municipalities also return ashes?
Most of the 352 cities listed here use communal cremation with no ash return. Municipalities that do offer ash return are listed separately on our "Municipalities that return ashes" page — check both if price and ash return both matter to you.
Can I use a municipality's pickup program if I live outside that city?
Most municipalities price for residents, and charge more (or don't accept the request at all) if you live elsewhere. The fees on this page are for residents dropping the body off themselves. As a rule, you can't use a different city's program from where you live, so start by checking your own municipality's page.
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