![]() SUGOCA logo | |
Location | Usable nationwide Distributed in Kyushu |
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Launched | March 1, 2009 (15 years ago) |
Operator | Kyushu Railway Company |
Manager | Kyushu 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 |
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Variants |
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Website | www |
SUGOCA (スゴカ, Sugoka) is a Japanese rechargeable contactless smart card ticketing system for public transport in and around Fukuoka Prefecture. The Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) introduced the system on March 1, 2009. The name is an acronym of "Smart Urban GOing CArd", while sugoka (凄か) in the local Kyūshū dialect means "great". Like other electronic fare collection systems in Japan, the card uses RFID technology developed by Sony Corporation, known as FeliCa. American graphic artist Rodney Alan Greenblat designed its official mascot, a frog with a clock.
On March 13, 2010, SUGOCA began interoperation with Nishitetsu's nimoca, Fukuoka City Transportation Bureau's Hayakaken, and JR East's Suica.[1] On March 5, 2011, in a reciprocal agreement with JR Central and JR West, SUGOCA became usable in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto, Okayama-Hiroshima and Nagoya metropolitan areas.[2] In 2013, interoperation was extended country-wide, and SUGOCA became usable in all major cities across Japan as part of the Nationwide Mutual Usage Service.[3]