Found a wasp or hornet nest in Tokyo: who to call, what the ward does and what removal costs

This page contains advertising (PR). The link to Hachi 110ban is an affiliate link, and we may earn a commission. Hachi 110ban’s page and form are in Japanese only (see section 5).

This page is general information from official sources. It is not medical or legal advice. If you are stung and feel unwell, call 119. For your own case, ask your ward office or a doctor.

If you find a wasp or hornet nest under your eaves or in a garden tree in Tokyo, the first question is who to call. This page covers five wards: Setagaya, Nerima, Ota, Edogawa and Adachi. It explains when the ward removes a nest for free, who to call first if you rent, what a private company costs, and what to do if someone is stung.

In short

Stay away from a hornet nest. Apart from a small early nest, leave it to a professional. For paper wasps, the wards explain how to remove a nest yourself (section 1).
Setagaya, Nerima, Ota and Adachi remove some nests on your property at the ward’s cost, if the nest meets their conditions. Edogawa does not remove nests but pays one third of the cost, up to ¥7,000 (section 2).
If you rent or live in an apartment building, contact your property manager or landlord first (section 4).
Hachi 110ban lists removal from ¥12,100 (bees and paper wasps) or ¥16,500 (hornets), tax and travel fee included. These are minimum prices, and the service is in Japanese only (section 5).
If someone has symptoms across the body after a sting, see a doctor at once. If you are not sure, call #7119 (section 7).

Checked with official pages on October 6, 2026.

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Option	What happens	Cost	Fits when
Remove it yourself	Paper wasp nests, following the wards’ steps	Spray	Leave hornets to a professional
Ward office	Removal (4 wards) or subsidy (Edogawa), with conditions	Free, or part paid	The nest is on your own property
Property manager	Handles shared areas and rental buildings	Depends on your contract	You rent or live in an apartment building
Private company	Survey, quote, removal	Paid	The ward does not cover it, or you need it fast

1. Should I remove a nest myself?

Tokyo Metropolitan Government / Ota Ward / Setagaya, Nerima, Edogawa and Adachi wards

Do not go near a hornet (スズメバチ, suzumebachi) nest. Apart from a small early nest, leave it to a professional. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Public Health and Medical Services says the hornets most often seen in Tokyo are the lesser banded hornet (コガタスズメバチ) and the Japanese yellow hornet (キイロスズメバチ). Both build ball-shaped nests in trees and under eaves. They defend the nest strongly and may attack in a group when excited.

Ota Ward says hornets start building nests around late April, and their numbers peak around late September. If you come near a nest, they threaten you, and they attack if you do not leave at once. So late summer and autumn need special care. The nest is empty by winter and is not used again the next year.

Paper wasps (アシナガバチ, ashinagabachi) do not usually attack unless provoked. All five wards explain how to remove a paper wasp nest yourself. The steps are:

Wait until some time after dark. The wards give a guide of 1 to 3 hours after sunset, depending on the ward.
Cover your skin. Wear long sleeves, long trousers, a hat and gloves.
Spray the whole nest with a commercial insecticide. Do not shine a light at the nest. The wasps fly toward the light.
Check the next day that no wasps remain. Then knock the nest down.

Nerima Ward says to keep to nests about as high as your own height. Edogawa Ward asks you to tell neighbors and passers-by before you start. If the nest is high up or you feel unsafe, use a company.

You can tell the nests apart by shape. A hornet nest is a ball with a mottled pattern and one entrance. A paper wasp nest looks like an upside-down bowl, with many hexagonal holes you can see. If you are not sure what it is, ask your ward office before you touch it.

2. What does my ward do?

Setagaya / Nerima / Ota / Edogawa / Adachi

Setagaya, Nerima, Ota and Adachi remove hornet nests and some others at the ward’s cost, if the nest meets the ward’s conditions. The conditions differ by ward: the type of wasp, where the nest is and what kind of building it is on. Call the ward before you hire a company.

Ward	What the ward does	Wasps covered	Phone
Setagaya	A contractor removes it for free	Hornets (2 species), paper wasps	03-5432-2903
Nerima	Removal at ward cost if conditions are met	Hornets and others	03-3995-1220
Ota	A specialist company removes it for free	Hornets only	03-5747-4010
Edogawa	No removal; pays 1/3 of the cost	Hornets	03-5662-1996
Adachi	A contractor removes it	Hornets only	03-3880-5374

2.1 Setagaya Ward: paper wasps are covered, up to 3 meters

Setagaya Ward

Setagaya Ward has a contractor remove nests for free when all of its conditions are met. It covers nests of the Japanese yellow hornet, the lesser banded hornet and paper wasps. The nest must be on the home where you live now, on a wall, fence or tree on your property, in plain view from outside, and within 3 meters of the ground or floor (about the eaves of a ground-floor home). The staff cannot climb onto a roof or fence, or lean out of a window.

Someone must be at home for the work, on weekdays from 9:00 to 11:30 or 13:00 to 16:00. You cannot choose a time. These are not covered: shared areas of apartment buildings, shops and offices, nests that cannot be seen from outside (inside a ceiling, a shutter box or an air conditioner unit), and fallen or empty nests. If your nest is not covered, the ward says to ask a private company directly, and it points to an association of pest control companies. The health center also lends out a wasp spray. For questions, call the Setagaya Health Center Living Hygiene Division (世田谷保健所生活保健課) at 03-5432-2903, weekdays 8:30 to 17:00.

Removing a nest yourself (Setagaya Ward official channel, in Japanese)

2.2 Nerima Ward: pest hotline until November 30, including weekends

Nerima Ward

Nerima Ward treats bees as useful insects in principle and aims to live alongside them. In its pamphlet, it says it removes only nests of hornets and similar wasps that disturb daily life, at the ward’s cost, if conditions are met. The contact is the Nerima Ward Pest Consultation Dial (練馬区害虫相談ダイヤル, 03-3995-1220), where a specialist company gives free advice. It runs from May 1 to November 30, 2026, from 9:00 to 17:00, including weekends and holidays. Conditions include the height of the nest and that it is in a visible place.

The ward office in charge is the Environmental Hygiene Inspection Section of the Living Hygiene Division (健康部生活衛生課環境衛生監視担当係), 03-5984-2485.

2.3 Ota Ward: hornets only, dedicated phone line until October 26

Ota Ward

Ota Ward has a specialist company remove hornet nests for free, but only nests in a place that disturbs daily life. The owner or manager of the place must ask. A nest in a dangerous place, such as a cliff or a high spot, may not be removed. For paper wasps and other non-hornet nests, the ward does not remove them, but tells you how to deal with them.

In 2026 the ward runs a dedicated line for nest consultation (03-5747-4010) from June 22 to October 26, weekdays 9:00 to 17:00. When you call, the ward may ask you to send a photo of the nest. The page also lists the Environmental Hygiene Section of the Living Hygiene Division (生活衛生課環境衛生担当) at 03-5764-0694 as the ward office in charge. For a nest on a public facility or a utility pole, the ward tells you the manager’s contact.

2.4 Edogawa Ward: no removal, but a subsidy of up to ¥7,000

Edogawa Ward

Edogawa Ward does not remove nests on private land. Instead, if a company removes a hornet nest at your private home in the ward, the ward pays one third of what you paid (excluding consumption tax, rounded up to the nearest ¥1,000), up to ¥7,000. If the company used an aerial work platform, the cap is ¥14,000. Just working at a height does not count. Offices, shared areas of apartment buildings and rental housing are not covered.

The application needs the company’s work report stating that a hornet nest was removed, the receipt, a photo of the nest (a photo taken after removal is accepted), your bank account details and ID. Apply at the Consultation Section of the Environment Division (環境部環境課相談係) on the 3rd floor of the north wing of the ward office, or by online application. The money arrives up to about one and a half months later. Call 03-5662-1996. If you do not know a company, the ward points to the Tokyo Pest Control Association (公益社団法人東京都ペストコントロール協会, 03-3254-0014).

2.5 Adachi Ward: hornet nests are removed by a ward contractor

Adachi Ward

Adachi Ward removes hornet nests only, using a contractor. It excludes facilities that have a manager, such as public facilities, Tokyo metropolitan housing and public corporation housing. Ask the Adachi Health Center Living Hygiene Division (足立保健所生活衛生課生活衛生係) at 03-3880-5374. For nests other than hornets, remove it yourself or use a company.

Adachi Ward also says that paper wasp and hornet nests last only one year and are not used again once the worker wasps die in winter. If the place is safe, it says you can wait until winter and then remove the nest.

3. Who do I call, by place

Edogawa Ward’s list

The contact depends on where the nest is. Edogawa Ward’s list gives these examples: a Tokyo metropolitan housing site goes to JKK Tokyo Customer Center (0570-03-0072), a utility pole to the TEPCO Customer Center (0120-995-002), and any other private land to the manager of that facility. The same list sends street trees on metropolitan roads to the metropolitan construction office, and ward parks to the ward’s park section.

4. What if I rent or live in an apartment building?

Official advice

If the nest is in a shared area or a rented building, contact your property manager or landlord before the ward or a company. Setagaya Ward excludes the shared areas of apartment buildings from free removal, and Adachi Ward excludes facilities that have a manager. Edogawa Ward’s subsidy does not cover rental housing or the shared areas of apartment buildings either. The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan advises that, for a rental home, you can ask the manager or landlord before you call a company.

Many buildings in Tokyo have a manager, so the ward often cannot help with shared areas. Start with your manager.

5. How much does Hachi 110ban cost, and can I use it in English?

Depends on the provider

Hachi 110ban is a contact service run by Sharing Technology Inc.. It passes your request to member companies, which come to your home, survey and remove the nest. It is one choice when the ward does not cover your nest, for example paper wasp nests in Ota and Adachi, or nests higher than 3 meters in Setagaya, or when you cannot be at home on a weekday. Its page, request form and terms of use are in Japanese, and the page does not say whether staff speak English. If you cannot read Japanese, ask a Japanese-speaking friend or coworker to help, or use a translation app on the form.

Wasp type	Removal price	Note
Honeybee (ミツバチ)	From ¥12,100	Tax and travel fee included
Paper wasp (アシナガバチ)	From ¥12,100	Tax and travel fee included
Hornet (スズメバチ)	From ¥16,500	Tax and travel fee included

These are the lowest prices. Hachi 110ban says some areas and member companies cannot offer them, and that extra fees may apply if the nest is hard to find, hard to reach or high up. The final price is set by the quote at your home. The form lets you choose Tokyo, but whether your address is covered depends on the area and member company, so give your address when you ask. It takes requests 24 hours a day, every day. You can pay by cash or credit card, but card payment is not available in some areas, and fees may apply.

Send your request. Use the form or call. Hachi 110ban takes requests 24 hours a day, every day.
A member company comes to check. It looks at the type of wasp and the damage. Hachi 110ban says the survey and quote are free, but a fee may apply in some areas or sites, so ask first.
Get a quote on the spot. Hachi 110ban says you can cancel at this point without a fee, and that nothing is added to the quoted price.
Removal. The company removes the nest.
Pay after the work. Some member companies ask for payment before the work.

The terms of use say Hachi 110ban itself is free to use. Your contract is directly with the member company, so you cancel or end it by contacting that company. If you plan to use Edogawa Ward’s subsidy, make sure you get a work report stating that a hornet nest was removed, and a receipt.

6. What should I check before I sign with a company?

Official advice (Japan)

Important

Before the work, check the total price, the name of the company that will come, the cancellation fee and any extra charges. The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan says it receives many consultations about pest control, including a case where a person was told they could die if stung, hired a company in a hurry, and then wanted to cancel because of the high bill.

The center says the price depends on the size and structure of the home and the extent of the damage, so an advertised “from ¥X” price does not mean the work will cost that much. It advises you to listen as if you are collecting quotes from several companies, not to sign with a company that stirs up your fear and pushes you to decide on the spot, and not to pay if you do not agree. If the bill is far from what you were first told, the cooling-off rule for door-to-door sales may apply. The consumer hotline is 188.

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7. What if someone is stung?

Adachi / Edogawa / Nerima / Tokyo Fire Department

If someone feels unwell or has symptoms across the body after a sting, such as a racing heart, see a doctor at once. Adachi Ward says people who are allergic to the venom can have whole-body symptoms that lead to shock, such as trouble breathing or loss of consciousness, and can die. It says people who have been stung before should also see a doctor at once. Edogawa Ward lists severe swelling, hives, nausea and trouble breathing as signs to see a doctor immediately.

For first aid, Adachi and Nerima wards say:

Pull out the stinger if it is left in. Pull from the base.
Squeeze the area to push out the venom.
Wash it well with water and cool it.
Apply an antihistamine ointment.

Nerima Ward advises seeing a doctor early, and having someone keep an eye on the person that day, because the condition can change suddenly.

7.1 Not sure whether to go to the hospital?

Tokyo Fire Department

Call the Tokyo Fire Department Emergency Advice Center at #7119. Doctors, nurses and former ambulance staff answer 24 hours a day, every day. Press 1 for a hospital referral or 2 for emergency advice. From a phone that cannot dial #7119, the number for the 23 wards is 03-3212-2323. The page we checked does not say which languages the advisors speak.

Common questions

A cluster of bees is hanging on a tree. Do I need removal?

Adachi Ward says this is a swarm (分封, bunpo), a group of bees leaving their old nest, not a nest. It usually moves on within a few hours to two or three days.

Should I remove an old nest in winter?

Paper wasp and hornet nests last one year and are not used again the next year (Ota and Adachi wards). An empty nest is not covered by Setagaya Ward’s free removal.

Does the ward pay me back if I hire a company?

Of the five wards, only Edogawa pays a subsidy: one third of the cost, up to ¥7,000. The other four remove nests that meet their conditions.

Next steps

Find out who owns or manages the place where the nest is, and ask your manager or landlord first if you rent (section 4).
Call your ward office if you are not sure what kind of nest it is, or whether it is covered (section 2).
Get a quote and check the total price before you agree (sections 5 and 6).
If you also live or travel in Fukuoka or Kumamoto, see Found a wasp or hornet nest in Fukuoka or Kumamoto.

Sources (checked October 2026)

9 pages we checked