is a rechargeable contactless

smart card A smart card (SC), chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC or IC card), is a card used to control access to a resource. It is typically a plastic credit card-sized card with an Embedded system, embedded integrated circuit (IC) chip. Many smart ...

ticketing system for public transport in

Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Etymology The name "Kanazaw ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, introduced by

Hokuriku Railroad The is a transportation company in Kanazawa, Japan. The company or its lines are commonly known as . The company was founded in 1943, when all the private railway and bus operators in Ishikawa Prefecture were merged into one. Some of its li ...

(Hokutetsu), from December 1, 2004. The name is the

portmanteau In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together.

of '' IC'' and ''card'', as well as ''ai'' (love), hoping the card will be loved by users. Just like

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...

Suica Suica () is a prepaid rechargeable contactless smart card and electronic money system used as a fare card on train lines and other public transport systems in Japan, launched on November 18, 2001, by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The ...

JR West , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, ...

ICOCA ICOCA () is a rechargeable contactless smart card used on the JR West rail network in Japan. The card was launched on November 1, 2003, for usage on the Urban Network, which encompasses the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe (Keihanshin). I ...

, the card uses

RFID Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. An RFID system consists of a tiny radio transponder called a tag, a radio receiver, and a transmitter. When tri ...

technology developed by

Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...

corporation known as

FeliCa FeliCa is a contactless RFID smart card system from Sony in Japan, primarily used in electronic money cards. The name stands for ''Felicity Card''. First utilized in the Octopus card system in Hong Kong, the technology is used in a variety of cards ...

. There is a mascot fairy character called .

Types of cards

*Normal cards **Prepaid card **Commuter pass **Junior card **Special discount card *Memorial card

Usable area

Bus lines

Both prepaid cards and commuter passes are accepted. Basically, only local bus lines in/around Kanazawa accept the card. *

*Hokutetsu Bus *Hokutetsu Kanazawa Chūō Bus *Kaga Hakusan Bus *Kanazawa Flat Bus

Railway lines

Only commuter passes are accepted. * Asanogawa Line * Ishikawa Line

External links

*
Official website by Hokuriku Railroad
Fare collection systems in Japan Contactless smart cards Kanazawa {{japan-rail-transport-stub