New educational web site: 'Journey through Japan'.

• Author: Hassan, S.K. Belal

The Japan Society's new web site, "Journey Through Japan", (http://www.japansociety.org/journey), designed for educators and students in grades K to 12, is a boon for curious minds of all ages. It offers a vast learning experience unlike any other. Filled with lesson plans, maps and time-lines, it also has personable stories illustrating a day in the lives of individuals in Japan.

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Visually appealing and easy on the eyes, the homepage is designed in light tones of blue and white. At the centre is a white box divided into four inviting quadrants. "Places & Spaces", as the name insinuates, lets visitors find information on castles, museums, neighbourhoods, temples, shrines and theatres in Japan. "Daily Life" answers questions like, "What do you do during a visit to a Buddhist temple?" "Culture & Society" provides the opportunity to learn more about Japan's familiar sports, beliefs and festivals, such as the famous "Gion Festival". "People" is more like a Who's Who in Japan and briefly introduces artists, athletes, public figures and famous personalities.

On the right side of the homepage are four tabs: Journey by City, Journey Through Time, Photo Gallery and Snapshot Tours. Visitors learn about Japanese cities such as Kyoto, Tokyo, Uji and Himeji by clicking their way through the map or on any one of the cities listed in "Journey by City", which features an interactive map of Japan and a list of cities. "Journey Through Time" displays a neat pictorial time-line, allowing users to learn about the country's rich and vivid history in each slice of the past. The time-line starts at 30,000 BCE and runs through the Classical (710-1185) to Medieval (1185-1568), then to Early Modern (1568-1868) periods and catches up with the Modern period. "Photo Gallery" shows images and stills, while "Snapshot Tours" contains both stills and short video clips, enticing people to visit Japan.

Although the above-mentioned sections might give the impression that the web site is...