Tatami Days: Getting a Life in Japan

“You see, Japan does not actually rest atop an infinite pile of turtles, but on the back of a giant carp . . .”

In his mid-thirties, Australian freelance writer and PhD graduate Michael Guest headed for Japan on a whim, worked as tenured Professor in a national university, and stayed fifteen years. Memoir and cultural reflection, his captivating story is one of growth, adaptation and an ever-deepening appreciation of an enchanting, at times perplexing, society.

The author is a specialist in m...