ICOCA

A visual showing how to use the ICOCA card to get onto trains.

ICOCA is an IC (Integrated Circuit) Card used on the JR West rail network in Japan. It stands for "Integrated Circuit Operating Card." It can be used as a riding ticket or digital cash. For example, you can use it to get on a train or, to buy a drink at a convenience store, or bread from a bakery.

How To Purchase

A charge machine for ICOCA.

KIPS ICOCA（This card is one kind of ICOCA, sold by Kintetsu.）

The Green Windows (midori-no-madoguchi) of JR stations sell ICOCA cards. The price of the card is 500 yen (about $5 USD), but at first you must pay 2,000 yen (about $20 USD), and you immediately get 1,500 yen (about $15 USD) of cash on the card. The limit you can have on the card is 20,000 yen (about $200 USD).

Origin of Name

The name of the card is a play on the phrase, "Ikoka" (行こか), which means, "Let's go," in the western Japanese dialect.