Thanks Marblehead and Scotty..
'old japan hand' is just a twist on the more usual 'old china hand'......or am I missing something here? Is it also the title of a porn mag or something!?
Have spent 15 years in Japan, now returned to the UK. You might imagine that I spent time studying Zen, martial arts etc. but in fact I did no such thing!
Have read the Dao de ching countless times and a few books.....Alan watts, 'barefoot doctor' but that's about it.
Thanks again for the welcome ...