MAY 1, 2000 VOL. 155 NO. 17

Web Crawling

TRAVEL WATCH Who Needs Nature? Japan Does It Better Technological efforts in Japan have often been devoted to recreating the real world, and the result is a bewildering array of virtual-reality fun around the country. Detour Osamu Tezuka is often called the Walt Disney of Japan. Hot Spot Virtual fun can build up a very real appetite. Short Cuts The Park Hyatt Tokyo is ideal for those who feel they have earned a little pampering. Web Crawling Japan in your Palm.

JAPAN IN YOUR PALM
(www.japaninyourpalm.com)

PALM PLAY: This is where to go to download travel information on Japan into your Palm Pilot. Apart from the usual assortment of maps, nightlife recommendations and movie listings, you'll find restaurant menus in English and a list of handy telephone numbers. A work in progress, the site offers information on Hiroshima, Tokyo and Kyoto, with other cities to be added eventually. Non-Palmies will find these pages worth perusing-and you can print them out, too.

SHINKANSEN
(www2.neweb.ne.jp/wc/dolittle/byunbyun/index.htm)

BULLET SPOTTING: Japan's shin-kansen, or bullet trains, are an integral part of any visit to the country. This site, while verging on obsessive, contains everything you need to know about the intricate train system that girdles the country. While the historical notes are interesting, the route maps and timetables are indispensable in getting you from Hiroshima to Nagano in time for tea.