You can helpexpand this article with text translated fromthe corresponding article in Japanese. (August 2024)Click [show] for important translation instructions. Machine translation, likeDeepL orGoogle Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Consideradding a topic to this template: there are already 1,566 articles in themain category, and specifying|topic= will aid in categorization. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. Youmust providecopyright attribution in theedit summary accompanying your translation by providing aninterlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary isContent in this edit is translated from the existing Japanese Wikipedia article at [[:ja:Kitaca]]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template{{Translated|ja|Kitaca}} to thetalk page. For more guidance, seeWikipedia:Translation.

Kitaca

Normal unregistered Kitaca (on top) and the debut commemorative Kitaca (on bottom)
Location	Usable nationwide Distributed inHokkaido
Launched	October 25, 2008 (16 years ago)
Operator	Hokkaido Railway Company
Manager	Hokkaido Railway Company
Currency	Japanese yen
Stored-value	Pay as you go
Auto recharge	None
Unlimited use	None (Other non-related unlimited use passes available)
Validity	JR Hokkaido Sapporo Municipal Subway Sapporo Streetcar Hokkaido Chuo Bus Valid areas ofSuica,PASMO,manaca,TOICA,ICOCA,PiTaPa,SUGOCA,Hayakaken,nimoca
Website	www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ticket/kitaca/index.html

Kitaca (Japanese:キタカ,romanized: Kitaka) is a rechargeable contactlesssmart card ticketing system for public transport inSapporo,Japan. It launched on October 25, 2008 and is managed byHokkaido Railway Company. The card's name is a combination of the word for "north" (北,kita) and theEnglish loanword "card". 北 is also the first character ofHokkaidō (北海道). Like other electronic fare collection systems in Japan, the card usesRFID technology developed bySony corporation known asFeliCa. The card's mascot is anezo momonga (Pteromys volans orii), a type offlying squirrel found in Hokkaidō, and was designed by Sora, an illustrator who lives in Sapporo.^[1]

As of March 2024, 69 stations in the Sapporo-Asahikawa area, as well as 6 stations in the Hakodate area including unmanned stations, accept Kitaca.^[2]

• Hakodate Main Line: FromHakodate toShin-Hakodate-Hokuto and fromOtaru toAsahikawa
• Chitose Line: FromShiroishi toNumanohata, and branch fromMinami-Chitose toNew Chitose Airport (the whole line)
• Muroran Main Line: From Numanohata toTomakomai
• Sasshō Line (Gakuentoshi Line): FromSōen toHokkaidō-Iryōdaigaku (the whole line)

• Unregistered Kitaca
• Registered Kitaca: Requires registration. The card can be reissued when lost.
• Kitaca commuter pass: Requires registration.

Credit card function is also considered. North Pacific Bank, the largest local bank of Hokkaido, considers to include Kitaca's functions to its credit cardClover. A plan to introduce anOsaifu-Keitai compliantmobile payment system was cancelled due to the cost.^[3]

In 2009, Kitaca became interchangeable withJR East'sSuica, including its use ofelectronic money functionality.^[4] Since late 2012, the card can also be used in lieu of aSAPICA, a smart card system introduced in 2009 by theSapporo City Transportation Bureau.^[5]

In 2013, interoperation was extended country-wide, and Kitaca became usable in all major cities across Japan as part of theNationwide Mutual Usage Service.^[6][7]

• (in Japanese)Official website by JR Hokkaido
• (in Japanese)Official press release by JR Hokkaido

• Fare collection systems in Japan
• Contactless smart cards
• Hokkaido Railway Company

• Articles with Japanese-language sources (ja)
• Webarchive template wayback links
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles needing translation from Japanese Wikipedia
• Articles containing Japanese-language text
• Interlanguage link template existing link