PiTaPa

Contactless smart card and electronic money system

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (June 2019)

|

You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Japanese.  (August 2024) Click [show] for important translation instructions.

*   * Machine translation, like DeepL or Google 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.
* Consider adding a topic to this template: there are already 1,163 articles in the main 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.
* You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is `Content in this edit is translated from the existing Japanese Wikipedia article at [[:ja:PiTaPa]]; see its history for attribution.`
* You may also add the template `{{Translated|ja|PiTaPa}}` to the talk page.
* For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

|

PiTaPa Basic Card

PiTaPa (Japanese pronunciation: ピタパ) is a contactless smart card ticketing and electronic money system used predominantly the Kansai region of Japan. The name PiTaPa is an acronym of "Postpay IC for Touch and Pay".[1] In the Osaka area, PiTaPa is usable on the Osaka Municipal Subway and New Tram, Keihan Electric Railway, and Hankyu Railway. It launched on August 1, 2004.

Part of the Nationwide Mutual Usage Service, PiTaPa is usable on public transport across Japan.[2] Unlike Japan's other major IC cards, PiTaPa operates as a post-pay system, rather than as a prepaid card.

How to use PiTaPa card

## System overview

[edit]

PiTaPa is operated by Surutto KANSAI [jp], a private company composed of various transit companies and transportation bureaus.

Unlike most other electronic fare collection systems and IC cards in Japan, including JR East's Suica and JR West's ICOCA which operate on a "pre-pay" basis, PiTaPa is a "post-pay" card. Usage of the card is charged to the customer's account, and each month the balance owing is deducted from a designated bank account, as in a charge card. As such, a credit check is required to obtain a PiTaPa card, and the allowable balance is capped. This prevents short-time overseas visitors or short-term residents of Japan from obtaining or using PiTaPa.

Beginning in June 2006, people over 20 could obtain a PiTaPa secured by a deposit in lieu of the credit check, although these cards could only be used to pay transport fares or in limited stores, without the electronic money functions of a normal credit card. This service was discontinued in March 2022.[3]

The underlying technology behind PiTaPa is an RFID technology developed by Sony called FeliCa.[4]

## Card types

[edit]

"PiTaPa Basic Card" is the name given to the PiTaPa cards per se, and are issued by the Surutto KANSAI Conference.

Most traffic companies in the PiTaPa network issue PiTaPa-compatible cards of their brands, either on their own or jointly with other companies. The cards, called "PiTaPa Affiliate Cards" by the Surutto KANSAI Conference, typically are built within credit cards and have special services or discounts offered by its issuers.

In 2006, because of heavy marketing of the Affiliate Cards by the individual companies, Basic Cards constituted only 10–20 percent of all issued PiTaPa cards.

## History

[edit]

The concept to introduce a smart card fare system in the Kansai region was first announced on July 7, 2001, by the Surutto KANSAI Conference. The Conference initially announced in April 2002 that they were planning to consign operation of the system to Hitachi and JCB, but switched to the Japan Research Institute and Sumitomo Mitsui Card Company [jp] in July 2003. The name "PiTaPa" was made public on February 25, 2003.

After four months of initial monitor testing, the service officially started on August 1, 2004, with three participating companies: Hankyu, Keihan and Nose Railway.

## Companies and bureaus accepting PiTaPa

[edit]

Interoperation map

In 2013, PiTaPa became usable in all major cities across Japan as part of the Nationwide Mutual Usage Service.[5] Prior to this, PiTaPa had been implemented and released as part of Affiliate Cards by a variety of companies and operators:

### Rail

[edit]

Company name | Name of affiliate card | Joined

|
|

Hankyu Railway | HANA PLUS Card † | August 1, 2004
STACIA Card | October 1, 2007
Nose Electric Railway | HANA PLUS Card † | August 1, 2004
STACIA Card | October 1, 2007
Keihan Electric Railway | e-kenet PiTaPa | August 1, 2004
Osaka Metro | OSAKA PiTaPa | February 1, 2006
Hanshin Electric Railway | CoCoNet PiTaPa Card † | February 1, 2006
STACIA Card | October 1, 2007
Osaka Monorail | HANA PLUS Card † | February 1, 2006
STACIA Card | October 1, 2007
Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway | HANA PLUS Card † | February 1, 2006
STACIA Card | October 1, 2007
Nankai Electric Railway | Nankai Group Card minapita | July 1, 2006
Semboku Rapid Railway | Nankai Group Card minapita | July 1, 2006
Kobe Rapid Railway | KOBE PiTaPa | July 1, 2006
Kobe New Transit | KOBE PiTaPa | July 1, 2006
Sanyo Electric Railway | KOBE PiTaPa | July 1, 2006
Okayama Electric Tramway | (no original PiTaPa brand) | October 1, 2006
Kobe Municipal Transportation Bureau | KOBE PiTaPa | October 1, 2006
Hokushin Kyuko Railway | KOBE PiTaPa | October 1, 2006
Kintetsu Railway | KIPS PiTaPa | April 1, 2007
Kobe Electric Railway | KOBE PiTaPa | April 1, 2007
Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau | Kyoto+ OSAKA PiTaPa | April 1, 2007
Shizuoka Railway | LuLuCa+PiTaPa | September 1, 2007

* † Eventually merged and renamed to "STACIA Card".

### Buses

[edit]

Company name | Name of affiliate card | Joined

|
|

Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau | OSAKA PiTaPa | February 1, 2006
Hankyu Bus | HANA PLUS Card † | February 1, 2006
STACIA Card | October 1, 2007
Shinki Bus & Shinki Zone Bus | (no original PiTaPa brand) | February 1, 2006
Osaka Airport Transport | (no original PiTaPa brand) | October 1, 2006
Okayama Electric Tramway | (no original PiTaPa brand) | October 1, 2006
Shimotsui Dentetsu | (no original PiTaPa brand) | October 1, 2006
Ryobi Bus | (no original PiTaPa brand) | October 1, 2006
Nara Kotsu | (no original PiTaPa brand) | April 1, 2007
NC Bus | (no original PiTaPa brand) | April 1, 2007
Shizutetsu Just Line | LuLuCa+PiTaPa | September 1, 2007
Keihan Bus | e-kenet PiTaPa | October 1, 2007
Keihan Kyoto Kotsu | e-kenet PiTaPa | March 1, 2008
Takatsuki City Transportation | (no original PiTaPa brand) | April 1, 2008
Itami City Transportation | (no original PiTaPa brand) | April 1, 2008

* † Eventually merged and renamed to "STACIA Card".

### Other cards

[edit]

Issuer | Name of card | Company name

|
|

Surutto KANSAI Conference | PiTaPa Basic Card | Surutto KANSAI Conference
Hankyu Hanshin Card | Persona STACIA Card | Persona
Takarazuka Revue STACIA Card | Takarazuka Revue
Hankyu Hanshin Dai-ichi Hotel Group STACIA Card | Hankyu Hanshin Hotels
STACIA+sai-ca Card | Bank Of Ikeda
All Nippon Airways | ANA PiTaPa Card | All Nippon Airways
Sumitomo Mitsui Card | Sumitomo Mitsui PiTaPa Card | Sumitomo Mitsui Card
Nankai Electric Railway | KANKU CLUB Card | Kansai International Airport
Kansai Electric Power | Happy e PiTaPa Card | Kansai Electric Power

## See also

[edit]

* ICOCA
* List of smart cards

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "pitapa.com" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 21, 2006.
2. ^ Ito, Etsuro (October 2013). "Launch of Nationwide Interoperable Transport System IC Cards" (PDF). East Japan Railway Culture Foundation. Japan Railway & Transport Review. pp. 6–15. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
3. ^ "保証金預託制PiTaPaカードをお持ちの方へ". PiTaPa.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-15.
4. ^ "About FeliCa Technology". Sony. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
5. ^ Ito, Etsuro (October 2013). "Launch of Nationwide Interoperable Transport System IC Cards" (PDF). East Japan Railway Culture Foundation. Japan Railway & Transport Review. pp. 6–15. Retrieved March 7, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* PiTaPa.com (in Japanese)
* Surutto KANSAI company profile (in Japanese)

* v
* t
* e

Smart cards in Japan

Fare collection|

| Mutual Usage|

* Kitaca (Sapporo, JR Hokkaido)
* Suica (Tokyo, JR East)
* TOICA (Nagoya, JR Central)
* ICOCA (Osaka, JR West)
* SUGOCA (Fukuoka, JR Kyushu)
* PASMO (Tokyo)
* manaca (Nagoya)
* PiTaPa (Osaka)
* Hayakaken (Fukuoka City)
* nimoca (Fukuoka, Hakodate, Nishitetsu)

|

Other cards|

* AIZU NORUCA (Aizuwakamatsu)
* ayuca (Gifu)
* CI-CA (Nara)
* DESUCA (Kōchi)
* ecomyca (Toyama)
* EX-IC (Tōkaidō–San'yō Shinkansen)
* emica (Mie)
* Hareca (Okayama)
* Ibappi (Ibaraki)
* IC e-card (Matsuyama)
* ICa (Kanazawa)
* IruCa (Takamatsu)
* itappy (Itami)
* Iwasaki IC Card (Kagoshima)
* kinoca (Wakayama)
* Kumamon no IC Card (Kumamoto)
* LuLuCa (Shizuoka)
* Nice Pass (Hamamatsu)
* NicoPa (Himeji)
* NORUCA (Fukushima)
* OKICA (Okinawa)
* PASPY (Hiroshima)
* RapiCa (Kagoshima)
* Ryuto (Niigata)
* SAPICA (Sapporo)
* Tsukica (Takatsuki)

Electronic money|

* Edy
* Nanaco
* Taspo
* Waon

Mobile payment|

* Osaifu-Keitai
* Mobile Suica
* Mobile PASMO
* Mobile ICOCA

* v
* t
* e

Transit in Keihanshin (Greater Keihanshin)

Shinkansen lines|

* Tōkaidō Shinkansen
* San'yō Shinkansen
* Hokuriku Shinkansen (planned)
* Chūō Shinkansen (planned)

JR West lines
("Urban network")|

* A Hokuriku/Tōkaidō/San'yō
* Biwako
* JR Kyoto
* JR Kobe
* N Akō
* Wadamisaki
* B Kosei
* C Kusatsu
* D Nara
* Sanin
* Sagano
* F Osaka Higashi
* G JR Takarazuka (Fukuchiyama)
* H Gakkentoshi (Katamachi)/JR Tozai
* I Kakogawa
* J Bantan
* K Kishin
* L Maizuru
* O Osaka Loop
* P JR Yumesaki (Sakurajima)
* Q Yamatoji
* Kansai
* R Hanwa (Hagoromo)
* S Kansai Airport
* T Wakayama
* U Man-yo Mahoroba (Sakurai)
* V Kansai
* W Kisei
* Naniwasuji (under construction)

Urban rail transit systems|

|  Osaka Metro
(list of stations)|

* Midōsuji Line
* Tanimachi Line
* Yotsubashi Line
* Chūō Line
* Sennichimae Line
* Sakaisuji Line
* Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line
* Imazatosuji Line
* Nankō Port Town Line

|

Kobe Municipal Subway|

* Seishin-Yamate Line
* Kaigan Line
* Hokushin Line

Kyoto Municipal Subway|

* Karasuma Line
* Tōzai Line

Osaka Monorail|

* Main
* Saito

Hankai Tramway|

* Hankai
* Uemachi

Kobe New Transit|

* Port Island Line
* Rokkō Island Line

Keifuku Electric Railroad (Randen)|

* Arashiyama Line
* Kitano Line

Eizan Electric Railway (Eiden)|

* Eizan Main Line
* Kurama Line

Five major
private rail operators|

|  Hankyu|

* Hankyu Kobe Main
* Itami
* Imazu
* Koyo
* Hankyu Takarazuka Main
* Minoo
* Hankyu Kyoto Main
* Senri
* Arashiyama

|

Hanshin|

* Hanshin Main
* Namba
* Mukogawa

Keihan|

* Keihan Main
* Oto
* Nakanoshima
* Katano
* Uji
* Otsu Lines
* ■ Keishin
* ■ Ishiyama Sakamoto

Nankai|

* Nankai Main
* Takashinohama
* Airport
* Tanagawa
* Kada
* Wakayamako
* Koya
* Shiomibashi
* Naniwasuji (under construction)

Kintetsu Railway|

* A Namba/Nara
* G Ikoma
* B Kyoto/Kashihara
* H Tenri
* I Tawaramoto
* C Keihanna
* D Osaka
* J Shigi
* F Minami Osaka/Yoshino
* N Domyoji
* O Nagano
* P Gose

Four semi-major
private rail operators|

|  Semboku Rapid|

* Semboku Rapid Railway

|

Kitakyu|

* Namboku Line

Kōbe Rapid|

* Tōzai Line
* Namboku Line

Sanyo|

* Sanyo Main Line
* Aboshi Line

Other railways|

* Chizu Express
* Shintetsu
* Arima
* Sanda
* Kōen-Toshi
* Ao
* Kobe Kosoku
* Wakayama Railway Kishigawa Line
* Noseden
* Myoken Line
* Nissei Line
* Ohmi Railway
* Main
* Yōkaichi
* Taga
* Mizuma Railway Mizuma Line
* Shigaraki Kohgen Railway

Cable car and aerial tramways|

* Keihan Cable Car
* Kintetsu
* Y Ikoma Cable Car
* Z Nishi-Shigi Cable Car
* Katsuragisan Ropeway
* Kōyasan Cable Car
*     * Eizan Cable Car
* Eizan Ropeway
* Mount Rokko Cable Car & Tourism Company [ja]
* Rokko Cable Line

Terminals|

* Rail
* Osaka/Umeda/Nishi-Umeda/Higashi-Umeda/Kitashinchi
* Tennoji/Osaka Abenobashi
* Nankai Namba/Osaka Namba/JR Namba
* Kyōbashi
* Shin-Osaka
* Osaka Uehommachi
* Tsuruhashi
* Kyōto
* Kyoto-kawaramachi/Gion-Shijō
* Sanjo
* Sannomiya
* JR West
* others
* Kintetsu Nara
* Airports
* Itami
* Kansai/Wing Shuttle
* Kobe
* Tokushima Airport
* Ports
* Port of Kobe
* Port of Osaka
* Sakai
* Himeji

Miscellaneous|

* Ferry Operators
* Kanko Kisen
* Hankyu Ferry
* Nankai Ferry
* Akashi-Awaji Ferry
* Cards
* ICOCA
* PiTaPa
* Rail transport in Japan
* Osaka City Air Terminal (& Bus)

* Japan transit: Tokyo
* Keihanshin
* Nagoya
* Fukuoka
* Hakone Fuji Izu
* Hokkaido
* Aomori
* Sendai
* Akita
* Niigata
* Toyama
* Nagano
* Okayama
* Hiroshima
* Shikoku
* Metro systems
* Shinkansen
* trams (list)
* aerial lifts (list)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template