Tokyo Diary #10

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

One week  more in Tokyo. This last week is a heavy one -- 6 talks, on press
conference and many dinners.


Tokyo feels like home. Even the weather. The rainy season seems to be a
slow starter and so it is warm (25) and humid rather than cold and rainy.


If you go to Tokyo and read that the bus service is too complicated for
foreigners dont pay attention. It is very good (when it runs -- bus service
stops at 9 to 10 pm). There is an english map available that makes it all
work and it is a flat 200 Y per ride.


There is no such thing in Tokyo as a empty shopping area on weekends. Mobs
mobs -- push and duck (people and bikes).


Last night we went to a restaurant where Sumo food is served. I have never
had so much  food. A high amount of raw fish, tempura and a meet, fish stew
that is the heart of the meal. We crawled out. The restaurant surrounds a
sumo ring (ued to be  real one) and both japanese and western seating was
avaiable. It is several blocks from the Sumo arena. Great place. If your
aiming for Tokyo give it a try. (ask me for name etc).


I had several interesting visits ths week. Most I will report in my
concluding report on the state of japanese computer/communications. I
visited NEC Lab and talked at length re the Handy- Phone. It is digital and
has about a 35 kb data path to the micro-cell. I believe it will become the
common way of connecting pdas, computers etc in Japan over a rather short
time if the price of a call is affordable and as critical parts become more
available. It looks like 50 Yen per minute now. There seems to be a home
phone set (like the cordless phones of the US) that uses the Handy-Phone as
it's portable. How that works re calling the Handy-phone I stil have to
find out.  The list on the HP is ~ 45000 yen. Bet by next year I can get
and send my email via HP.


NTT is pushing ISDN as a computer access servive and the rates look
acceptable. They target the 64 kb service to the end users at this time.