Thanks guys.

Jay: I'll take a look at Google Translate and see if it can shed any light.

Cecile en Don Wa: I've sent them an email so I'll see what comes of it. I'd looked at that event before, but figured that there was no way my other half would release me for even a week abandoning her with the kids. But since she seems to think that I really should go I'm not going to argue!

Your description of sharpening is exactly what I had imagined doing. Now I just need to buy some slipstones (or hack up my old waterstones and use this as the excuse to buy some new ones! :-) )