A Japanese Experience:   During the Kyushu field workshop the group stayed in a variety of excellent, spotless accommodation, including traditional rural hotels, where we slept on soft bamboo matted floors in rooms with paper walls (bottom right).   On arrival we changed out of our field clothes into traditional garb before visiting the hot-spring fed bath house.   We subsequently relaxed over a pre-dinner drink before being presented with exquisitely prepared traditional meals comprising a wide range of generally small portions, each a delicate blend of subtle flavours, complemented by warm saké.   The background image is of the Yutsubo-tei Hotel at Kusu-gun near Kuju, with the insets showing the group after bathing (right), and at dinner at the Hayamizu-sou Hotel near Hishikari.   The accommodation was selected by Professor Taguchi and provided insights into Japanese traditions and culture.   Photographs by Mike Porter.