The Basics
1. How should I use i-irasshai?
2. With the CD-ROM or a very fast Internet connection, how do I start and where can I go?
3. With a slow Internet connection, how do I start and where can I go?
4. How do I navigate in i-irasshai (high-bandwidth or CD-ROM version)?

Other Questions
1. How do I move around a panorama (360° photograph)?
2. How do I learn about the items I see in a panorama?
3. How do I locate items in a panorama?
4. Why does a black background with white lines appear in the panorama before the image loads?
5. If I'm using the CD, do I need a live Internet connection?
6. Can I use i-irasshai if I am an AOL user?
7. How are the browser windows arranged?

Known Bugs
1. Do I really need a newer plug-in?
2. When I click on an object, why doesn't anything happen?
3. Why are the videos so small and fuzzy on my machine?
4. Why did my system crash or freeze when using the site?

Latest Updates to i-irasshai help

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The Basics

1. How should I use i-irasshai?

i-irasshai is intended to simulate a journey to Japan. How you use it may depend on whether you are working on a specific assignment, preparing a report, or simply exploring out of your own curiosity. i-irasshai is intended for many return trips. It is not likely that you can explore all that it offers in one session.

As with any journey to an unfamiliar place, you may choose to explore on your own or you may use some sort of guide. Before entering i-irasshai's virtual world, you will be asked if you would prefer to select a "to-do" list (the "to-do" list challenges you to find three thematically-linked items in the virtual Japan world) or have one randomly selected for you. Your assistant, Tomo, will help you complete the "to-do" list (Tomo provides friendly suggestions and applauds your successes). However, you may elect to ignore the "to-do" list completely and explore i-irasshai entirely on your own terms.

2. With the CD-ROM or a very fast Internet connection, how do I start and where can I go?

The CD-ROM is a copy of the i-irasshai Web site. If you have purchased the CD-ROM or have a high speed Internet connection (over 128 kbps), the following is suggested:

Starting sections especially recommended for first time users:
- Help and System Requirements
- Learn How to Explore (the tutorial within the high-bandwidth site)
- Teachers Section

To start the journey:
- If using the Internet: from the Home Page, click on "High Bandwidth."
- If using the CD-ROM: from the Home Page, click on "CD-ROM."
- The application will check your system settings and either continue or suggest that you install certain plug-ins.
- Click on "Choose your 'to-do' list." Either choose an item yourself, then click "done" once you've highlighted your selection; or let Tomo choose an item for you. Click "Let's get started!" to begin.
- Click on any section of the map on the bottom left corner of your screen to choose your first location.

3. With a slow Internet connection, how do I start and where can I go?

If you have a slow speed Internet connection under 128 kbps, the following is suggested:

Starting sections especially recommended for first time users:
- Help and System Requirements
- Teachers' Section

To start the journey:
- Click on Guide Book. This is the main feature for users with low bandwidth and without the i-irasshai CD-ROM. It provides access to all of the information, quizzes and activities, and related links contained in the high bandwidth or CD-ROM version, but no access to the virtual reality panoramas, the navigation map, or the "to-do" list. The Guide Book's "Related Links" takes you to the irasshai Web site's Launch Pad for access to more cultural information.

Depending on your modem speed, some items in the Guide Book may take a while to download. If items are on the larger side, their size is noted for your information. Some items require Shockwave and QuickTime.

4. How do I navigate in i-irasshai (high bandwidth or CD-ROM version)?

The Tutorial (a link to which is provided on top of the virtual reality panorama window) demonstrates how to explore i-irasshai.

To jump from one location to another, you may use the map at the lower left corner of the panorama window. Click on any location on the map. Once the new scene loads in the panorama window, a new map appears which provides more detailed information on that specific location. For example, clicking on "Sakuragaya School" in the map will take you to a panoramic view outside the school and supply an accompanying map of the school itself. You can jump from one location to another through the direct use of the map. You can return to the larger scale map by clicking the icon at the top left of the map.

Another way to go from one location to another is to travel within the panorama itself. Hotspots in the panorama will often reveal a door or path to another location. Clicking within the panorama in combination with clicking the map provides the most flexible means of navigation.

One way to immediately access the textual information provided in i-irasshai is to visit the Guide Book (a link to which is provided on top of the virtual reality panorama window). The Guide Book contains all the information that appears in the "pop-up" windows, organized alphabetically by subject.

To navigate to even more cultural information on a topic area, look for "Related Links" at the bottom of the "pop up" information windows. These links take you to the Web library from the Launch Pad to Japan (found on the irasshai Web site [www.peachstar.org/irasshai]). Here you may explore Web sites external to i-irasshai and the irasshai Web site to further enhance your learning.

Other Questions

1. How do I move around a panorama (360° photograph)?

The most efficient way to change your view is to move your mouse to the center of the panorama and hold the mouse button down. Then move your mouse slightly in the direction you wish to go (left, right, up, down).

2. How do I learn about the items I see in a panorama?

As you move your mouse over items in the panorama (the hot spots), a description for each item appears. Clicking on an item provides you with detailed information.

3. How do I locate items in a panorama?

In the gray bar at the bottom of the panorama you will see this icon . With one click, the hot spots in the panorama will appear. To remove the hot spots, click the icon again.

Clicking on the panorama's hot spots will launch a "pop up" window. To return to the main window, click on a part of the main window; the "pop up" window will hide behind it.

4. Why does a black background with white lines appear in the panorama before the image loads?

QuickTime 5.0 streams the panoramas so that you begin viewing some portions of the panorama while others are loading. The black background with white grid lines indicate a portion of the panorama that has not yet loaded.

5. If I'm using the CD, do I need a live Internet connection?

Without an Internet connection, you lose the option to use the extended cultural information provided via the "Related Links" sections that appear at the bottom of most of the pop-up windows. Also, if you are using Netscape, internet access may be necessary to fix a bug in Macromedia's Shockwave installer. When you enter the high-bandwidth or CD-ROM version of the site, the program should inform you if this is necessary.

6. Can I use i-irasshai if I am an AOL user?

Windows users: At the time this site was completed, AOL versions 3.0 and later used the Internet Explorer browser installed on your system. If certain features of the i-irasshai site do not work in the AOL environment, try using Internet Explorer directly. That is, use AOL to make your connection as usual, then run Internet Explorer from your desktop or programs list. If you are running i-irasshai off CD-ROM, open index.htm at the root of the CD-ROM using "Open..." from the Internet Explorer file menu.

Macintosh users: Use your AOL connection to download and install the latest version of Netscape. Connect to the internet as usual using AOL. Then run the Netscape application and enter the i-irasshai site. If you are running i-irasshai off CD-ROM, open index.htm at the root of the CD-ROM using "Open page..." from the Netscape file menu. Please note that Netscape versions 6 and 7 do not support the communication necessary for the immersive portion of this program. We recommend Netscape Communicator 4.79 to view the site. See the system requirements for details.

7. How are windows arranged?

The windows associated with the i-irasshai high-bandwidth or CD-ROM version of the site have been configured to provide the best arrangement for your exploration.

The main window contains the virtual reality panoramas, to-do list, and map. This window controls the user experience. Closing this window will end your exploration.

The next most important window is the information window where information pages on the objects, quizzes and activities appear. We recommend leaving this window open to minimize wait time for these information pages to appear. The information window and the main window will interact, with the important one in the foreground. So, if you complete an activity like taking off your shoes in the information window, the main window will come to the foreground, so you can continue your exploration.

Links in the irasshai launchpad (accessible from links in the "expand your horizons" section of most pages) will open another window to display the sites that you have selected. Close this window when you wish to continue exploring.

The guidebook will also open in new window that you can close when done to continue exploring.

Finally, if you complete your agenda, the certificate will open in a new window so you can print it. Once printed, close this window.

Known Bugs

1. Do I really need a newer plug-in?

Shockwave 8.5 and QuickTime 5.0 are required if you wish to experience the i-irasshai site to its fullest. When you enter the high-bandwidth or CD-ROM version of the site, your plug-ins are checked. At times, you may be told that you need a newer version of Shockwave or QuickTime, even though you may already have the proper versions installed. If you know that you have Shockwave 8.5 or higher and QuickTime 5.0 or higher installed, click on the provided page link ("click here to proceed") that allows you to proceed. If the site does not seem to operate properly, you should install the latest plug-ins.

2. When I click on an object, why doesn't anything happen?

If you are using Internet Explorer for Windows, you may experience long pauses after clicking on an object in the high-bandwidth or CD-ROM version of the site. When an object is clicked, a new browser window should appear. You can try two approaches to solve this problem:

• Once a window opens successfully, leave it open. The pause only occurs when the window is trying to open. By leaving the window open, additional object pages should appear quickly in the same window.
• Close all applications and restart your machine. The pause seems to be related to the memory free on your machine.

Netscape users (Macintosh or Windows): Clicking on an object in the high-bandwidth or CD-ROM version of the site should open a new window with information related to that object. If this window doesn't open, visit http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/welcome. Once you visit the page, the windows should open properly. If they still do not open, you may not have enough free memory (see system requirements for memory requirements). Try closing all applications and then open the i-irasshai site again. Also, restarting your computer might help free more memory.

3. Why are the videos so small and fuzzy on my machine?

The videos on the i-irasshai site are made to handle different connection speeds. You can increase the size and quality of the videos by setting the connection speed in your QuickTime control panel to a higher speed setting. CD-ROM users should set it to "Intranet/LAN" (the best quality and largest size), while internet users should set it to a speed compatible with their internet connection. The QuickTime control panel can be found in the Control Panels on both Windows and Macintosh. Select the "Connection Speed" tab. Then select your desired connection speed.

NOTE: CD-ROM users should remember to change this back to their internet connection speed if viewing videos off the internet.

4. Why did my system crash or freeze while using the site?

Unfortunately, due to the complexity of this site, some computer systems may freeze or quit with a fatal error. Some browsers and operating systems handle these errors better than others. For example, on Windows when encountering one of these errors, Internet Explorer 4.0 will totally close while Internet Explorer 5.0 will usually only close the window with the problem. If the problem persists, please contact the Web administrator and describe your computer settings, your browser, what you were trying to do when you experienced the error, what pages were open, and the error that you encountered. The more information you can provide, the better. Any possible solutions to posted problems will appear in the "Updates to help on the Web" page.

Latest Updates to i-irasshai Help

For the latest updates to this help page, go to http://www.gpb.org/peachstar/i-irasshai/updates/faq.htm