an ‧ ec ‧ dote /ˈænɪkdəʊt $ -doʊt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Language: French ; Origin: Latin anekdota 'things not published' , from ekdidonai 'to publish' ]
a short story based on your personal experience:
The book is full of amusing anecdotes about his life in Japan.