Kitaca
Kitaca
Smart card ticketing system used in Sapporo, Japan
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 (北, 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]