Kitaca

Kitaca


Normal unregistered Kitaca (on top) and the debut commemorative Kitaca (on bottom)
LocationUsable nationwide
Distributed in Hokkaido
LaunchedOctober 25, 2008 (16 years ago)
OperatorHokkaido Railway Company
ManagerHokkaido Railway Company
CurrencyJapanese yen
Stored-valuePay as you go
Auto rechargeNone
Unlimited useNone (Other non-related unlimited use passes available)
Validity
Websitewww.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ticket/kitaca/index.html
Ticket gates with Kitaca readers at Hassamu-Chūō Station, Sapporo

Kitaca (キタカ, Kitaka) is a rechargeable contactless smart card ticketing system for public transport in Sapporo, Japan. Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) introduced the system from October 25, 2008. Its name means "the card of north (, kita)", while 北 is also the first character of Hokkaidō (北海道). Like other electronic fare collection systems in Japan, the card uses RFID technology developed by Sony corporation known as FeliCa. The card has an official mascot of Ezo momonga (Pteromys volans orii), a kind of flying squirrel found in Hokkaidō. The mascot is designed by Sora, an illustrator who lives in Sapporo.[1]

  1. ^ (in Japanese) 北のカード「Kitaca」vol.4〜「エゾモモンガ」の生みの親〜 Archived 2008-10-09 at the Wayback Machine (Northern card "Kitaca" vol.4, the crator of the "Ezo momonga"), from Satsueki.jp, retrieved on October 26, 2008.