# PASPY

PASPY (パスピー, Pasupī) is a rechargeable contactless smart card ticketing system for public transit in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Its name is a portmanteau of pass, happy, and speedy. Like other electronic fare collection systems in Japan, the card uses an RFID technology developed by Sony known as FeliCa, but was the first to employ an 8 KB capacity instead of the standard 4, owing to the need for more capacity to interoperate with the Hiroshima bus system.
While the PASPY system accepts numerous IC cards from across Japan, PASPY cards cannot be used on in other areas. PASPY IC card service will end in March 2025 and be replaced with ICOCA.

## History

The system was conceived as an alternative to the magnetic fare system in place since 1994, which by 2008 was already beginning to show signs of wear; machines were needing to be replaced and customers preferred IC cards over magnetic fare cards. The PASPY card launched with eight issuing companies, each with their own uniquely colored card, on January 26, 2008.
On March 1, 2008, the PASPY system also began accepting JR West's ICOCA card (without allowing reciprocal use of PASPY at ICOCA terminals). This was seen as an expedient way to avoid having to obtain agreement from the entire ICOCA service area to have local campaigns and promotional discounts to entice Hiroshima residents to use the PASPY card, while still allowing for travelers from outside the area to use the more widely accepted ICOCA card and visit Hiroshima without having to purchase a PASPY.
Subsequently on March 17, 2018, Nationwide Mutual Usage IC cards became accepted for usage the PASPY area.
The Kure City Transportation Bureau version of PASPY ceased to be sold on April 1, 2012. The Bihoku Kōtsū version ceased sales on September 30, 2014, while Geiyō Bus suspended sales the following day. Hiroshima Rapid Transit ceased sales of PASPY on May 31, 2024, and will stop accepting usage of the cards on the Astram Line on November 30, 2024. As a result, there are now only six color varieties of new PASPY cards sold.

## Operators accepting PASPY

Those with a color in the "Card color" column issue their own version of the cards, while others just accept them. Those with a strikethrough indicate the company has ended sales of their own cards, and thus that color of card is now unavailable.
| Card color | Operator | Sales period | Mode of transport |
| Light green | Hiroshima Electric Railway (Hiroden) | Present | Railway (tram), bus |
| Yellow | Hiroshima Rapid Transit (Astram Line) | Ended May 2024 | Railway (people mover) |
| | Hiroshima Tourism Promoting (Miyajima Ropeway) | | Railway (aerial tramway) |
| Pink | Hiroshima Bus | Present | Bus |
| Orange | Hiroshima Kōtsū (Hirokō Bus) | Present | Bus |
| Dark blue | Geiyō Bus | Ended October 2014 | Bus |
| Blue | Chūgoku JR Bus | Present | Bus |
| Light blue | Bihoku Kōtsū | Ended September 2014 | Bus |
| Green | Tomotetsudou (Tomotetsu Bus) | Present | Bus |
| Purple | Kure City Transportation Bureau | Ended March 2012 | Bus |
| | HD Nishi-Hiroshima (Bon-Bus) | | Bus |
| | Daiichi Taxi | | Bus |
| | Hirokō Kankō | | Bus |
| Dark Green | Chūgoku Bus | Present | Bus |
| | Setonaikai Kisen | | Ship (ferry and cruise ship) |
| | Miyajima Matsudai Kisen | | Ship (ferry) |