Shunbun no Hi - Vernal Equinox Day

March 20 or 21 is the Vernal Equinox Day - celebrated as the Start of Spring Season in Japan.

Akihabara Station

Japan March 2006 007, originally uploaded by sanjaykalra.

The station itself is quite nondescript - belying Akihabara's reputation as the world capital for glitzy electronics.

Lighted path to Epson Aqua Stadium in Shinagawa, Tokyo

Japan March 2006 016, originally uploaded by sanjaykalra.

In Japan it's christmas lights all year round - yet they are the most efficient users of enegy in the developed world - two reasons really - one, high density housing, and two, mass transit system.

Toyota I-Swing: Geneva Motor Show 2006

I-Swing, you swing, we all swing for I-Swing :-)


This working demo of what Toyota calls the I-Swing sure tilts and balances a lot like a Segway, except instead of standing, you are seated in a cushioned chair. It is also a car, said a Toyota executive from Tokyo speaking through a translator. Unless something was lost in the translation, the vehicle will be street legal like a motorcycle, he said.

Geneva Motor Show 2006

Hina Matsuri (Girls' Festival)

Hina Matsuri - Explore Japan - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan

March 3 is Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival or Girls' Festival), when people pray for the happiness and healthy growth of girls. Families with young daughters mark this day by setting up a display of dolls inside the house. They offer rice crackers and other food to the dolls.

Technorati: Favorite Buttons

Technorati has introduced a new Favorites feature - you can add upto 50 blogs to your favorites - and you can share your favorites with the world. Try this feature by clicking on the button below - if you want to add my blog to your favorites.

Get $5 for signing up for this free service

This is a great new service for sending and receiving cash through your cell phone - almost like a Paypal for cell phones :-) And the great news is, they are paying you $5 to sign up for this service. The service itself is absolutely free and there is no contract. This is sure to be a huge thing. It should be great for paying your half of the lunch you had with a friend, or the movie tickets that your friend bought for you or for making and receiving payment on craigslist etc.

If you want to make $5 for reading this blog, just sign up by clicking on the TextPayMe banner below.

Windows Bento

Rico & Coco: 新しいPC購入!?

Setsubun in Japan; A Lunar "New Years' Eve"

Setsubun, Oni Out, Happiness In

Here's an informative account of Setsubun which was celebrated on Feb. 3, 2006 in Japan. Setsubun marks the Lunar New Year in Japan (corresponding to the CHinese New Year) and it also marks the beginning of Spring.

Octopuses hung out to dry

MSN-Mainichi Daily News: Photo Specials