Why 'honoured' Japanese players and fans clean up after World Cup games - 'A bird leaves nothing behind'
By Ben Morse
Updated 15/06/2026 at 17:33 GMT+1
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One of the most beloved World Cup traditions over recent editions of the tournament has been the sight of Japanese fans spending hours cleaning up rubbish after their team has played.
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That has continued at this summer's tournament, with supporters seen clearing up any and all waste inside Dallas Stadium in Arlington following Japan's 2-2 draw with the Netherlands on Sunday.
It is not just the fans who have been credited for leaving stadiums tidy, with Japan's players and staff lauded for also leaving changing rooms spotless after matches.
Indeed, that was the case following the Netherlands clash, with a neat pile of rubbish, towels and other litter left in the centre of their dressing room.
So why do Japan's players and fans ensure they leave stadiums as they found them, spick and span?
The actions of Japan's fans tidying up was first seen during the nation's first appearance at the World Cup in 1998, and it has a tradition that has continued every four years since, including in Qatar in 2022.
The origin of the behaviour begins in the Japanese school system, with a phrase that is instilled for many: "A bird leaves nothing behind."
The mantra essentially means "leave something the way you found it," with one fan telling FIFA that cleaning up afterwards is something that just comes with the territory.
"That's the culture. But it's like respect for everything," they said. "Respect for the players, supporters, and also for the stadium.
"We are honoured to be here so we don't want to make the mess and then leave it."
Japan fan Hirokazu Tsunoda told CNN that despite hating "every minute" of cleaning up at school, stadiums at major tournaments are a "sacred space" so should be treated correctly.
"It’s not a place where you can do whatever you like simply because you paid for a ticket," Tsunoda said. "If something is a passion you truly care about, you don’t want to leave the place that matters to you in a mess. So, you pick it up."
He added: "There are genuinely people out there who talk badly about the Japanese fans picking up trash at stadiums, saying things like: 'They just want the attention' or 'It’s only for show.' But what I want to say to those people is: Just try it once.
"Picking up someone else’s half-eaten food or half-finished drink is unpleasant, no question. But once you’ve had that experience, you are far less likely to become someone who litters in the first place."
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Japan's clear-up efforts after the Netherlands match were aided by New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston, who was seen in a Japan top and with a blue bin bag, picking up rubbish.
Japan's players have become renowned for also leaving thank you notes with their spotless changing rooms, written in the local language of each major tournament.
The team's manager, Hajime Moriyasu, said the behaviour is just "a normal thing to do" for Japanese people.
"When you leave a place, you have to leave it cleaner than it was before," Moriyasu said during the 2022 World Cup.
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