'When the tunnel where the border is long is passed through there was snow country."
So starts Yasunari Kawabata's classic novel "Snow Country," as garbled by online translation service Alta Vista Babel Fish.
It's no surprise that learners of Japanese, from humble beginners to professional translators, are seeking more electronic help. As worldwide fascination with Japanese pop culture bolsters interest in the language, Net resources are expanding. These range from commercial operations such as online language school YesJapan, the online branch of a Las Vegas language school, to altruistic endeavors such as Jim Breen's free dictionary, Edict.