There are books about spending time in Japan, written in the main by Alice-in-Wonderlands who believe a short stretch makes them authoritative on all things Japanese. And there are books about Japan. Bruce McCormack's "Tokyo Notes and Anecdotes: Natsukashi" falls into this second, far more recommendable, category.
Because McCormack had moved back to Canada, what follows is based largely on e-mails flying back and forth. Ah, the wonders of technology! Since a large part of communication is said to be in the eyes, I cannot promise to give you the man. But hands up, those who think it worth the risk. See, the ayes have it.
Apart from being advocated reading for anyone with a more than passing interest in Japanese culture and what it is like to live here as a foreigner, "Tokyo Notes" is remarkable for another reason. It is produced "on demand" in cooperation with Trafford Publishing in Victoria, British Columbia. On-demand publishing makes a book available for retail sale by taking advantage of on-demand manufacturing and Internet marketing. Thus it is possible to read excerpts online, and any order is a one-off. "I'm also making inquiries in Japan to see whether it might be made available from regular bookstores."