Kitaca

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Kitaca

Normal unregistered Kitaca (on top) and the debut commemorative Kitaca (on bottom)
Location	Usable nationwide Distributed in Hokkaido
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 of Suica, 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 contactless smart card ticketing system for public transport in Sapporo, Japan. It launched on October 25, 2008 and is managed by Hokkaido Railway Company. The card'a name is a combination of the word for "north" (北, kita) and the English loanword "card". 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's mascot is an ezo momonga (Pteromys volans orii), a type of flying squirrel found in Hokkaidō, and was designed by Sora, an illustrator who lives in Sapporo.^[1]