It is our great pleasure to invite you to participate in the 2012 meeting of the International Society of Hydrocephalus and CSF Disorders (ISHCSF), which will be held in Kyoto from October 19 to 22, 2012 (Hydrocephalus 2012, Kyoto).

This meeting will present the latest advances in the clinical care of and research in hydrocephalus and CSF disorders. Through this meeting, we expect to accomplish the ISHCSF mission of pursuing both clinical and basic research of CSF circulation and its related disorders and thereby promoting the best possible care for patients with these disorders.
There has been nearly a hundred-year of CSF research history since the pioneering work of Harvey Cushing. Research has produced many achievements in this field, but unsolved problems remain and challenge us to take the next step toward solving them.
Of course, another purpose of this meeting is to give all participants the opportunity to communicate, discuss freely, and share their recent progress in this field. We warmly welcome all participants and their families from all over the world.

Kyoto is an ancient city in Japan with a 1200-year history and contains seventeen properties listed as World Heritage monuments. Kyoto is also a modern city with a contemporary outlook. Participants will have the opportunity to experience the essence of Japanese culture. On October 22, you can enjoy the Jidai Matsuri parade, one of three famous festivals in Kyoto, which will take place near the meeting venue.

Japan experienced a massive disaster on March 11 of this year—the Great East Japan Earthquake. We acknowledge the tremendous outpouring of heartfelt messages and support from many friends and peoples throughout the world. Although Kyoto was not affecteded directly by this disaster, we hope this meeting will help express our people’s gratitude to the world and show Japan’s power for revival.

We look forward to seeing you in Kyoto.

Masatsune Ishikawa
Congress President
The Fourth Meeting of the International Society for Hydrocephalus and Cerebrospinal Fluid Disorders