Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report a beloved Akita Inu who charmed visitors from around the world died of old age in the Kakunodatemachi district here Bukemaru was a popular figure who brought joy to the area Fans had traveled from Tokyo and even from as far as New York just to meet him Bukemaru was born in Odate in the prefecture in July 2014 He was kept as a pet by a traditional craft shop Bukemaru was kept tied in front of the shop His friendly nature and the way he greeted everyone quickly made him popular His adorable face spread across social media and he soon became the shop’s beloved mascot Bukemaru would stroll down a historic street lined with traditional samurai residences and along the Hinokinaigawa river which is famed for its beautiful cherry blossoms He would sometimes jump up to hug excited tourists he would sit and pose for selfies with them when the number of foreign visitors dropped Bukemaru’s presence brought smiles to everyone who saw him “I think his presence attracted tourists,” said Takahashi expressing his gratitude for his beloved canine Bukemaru passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 10 which is equivalent to around 80 in human years Takahashi said he cannot think about getting another dog to take Bukemaru’s place just yet “I have so many memories of Bukemaru,” he said New picture book aims to introduce Hachiko legend to kids overseas Kenshiro the dog who survived tsunami leaves owner for a while Rare photo shows loyal dog Hachiko in his last years Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time My wife and I are planning a two-week trip to Japan around late September hoping to see some less-travelled parts of Japan such as Naoshima I’m not sure where some of these places are in relation to each other and where would be good to base ourselves possible accommodation and how to get around?B Assuming you want to travel from north to south you might start from Tokyo and travel first to Kakunodatemachi followed by Kanazawa and Takayama and finally Naoshima Japan’s “art island” is much closer to Osaka than Tokyo and it would be easier if you depart Japan from there These places will deliver the off-the-beaten-track experiences you’re looking for, but they are widely disbursed and there is no option to base yourself in a central location and make short trips to each. That will make for a busy two weeks. You could book your own accommodation, possibly using Booking.com or Expedia to find hotels in the price bracket that suits you However, this is a complicated trip and without a lot of time and effort to construct your itinerary, book train travel and hotels, you would be better off talking to a specialist travel agency. Based in Melbourne’s Little Collins Street, Japan Package Tours would be my first choice Staffed by a mix of Japanese and Australians they construct individual itineraries to satisfy various interests and their reviews inspire confidence with 16 days in Hawaii and the balance in Japan Insurance quotes are done on the assumption all travel days will be in the US with snow skiing as an add-on for that entire period Is there any insurer that only covers high-risk activities for a short period within the wider framework of a low-risk holiday?D with Mount Yotei in the distance.Credit: iStock Travel insurance policies tend to be rigid they don’t generally allow tailored solutions and a separate policy with ski cover just for the relevant period A Cover-More consultant confirmed over the telephone that this would be a workable solution you need to let your insurer know what you’re doing to ensure there are no obstacles My wife and I will be in France in August for a 10-day tour from Lyon to Nice We then have nine days to get to Paris for our return flight to Australia a pretty lakeside town in Switzerland’s Italian-speaking Ticino region Lugano’s palm trees give it a Mediterranean vibe while the surrounding mountains which can be scaled via a funicular railway Don’t miss the boat cruise to explore some of the lakeside villages including Morcote and Gandria After three nights, take another train ride to Lucerne. The fastest trains make this journey in two hours but a much more interesting trip is train and bus to Fluelen, at the southern end of Lake Lucerne, followed by a three-hour ride aboard the historic Lake Lucerne Navigation ferries to Lucerne Pocket-sized Lucerne has a lively cafe culture an outstanding art gallery in the Sammlung Rosengart Museum and lovely walks A highlight is the one-hour lake steamer trip from the quay at Lucerne to Alpnachstad Spend three nights and then take a 2½ hour train ride to Lauterbrunnen set deep in its valley surrounded by spectacular alpine scenery My wife and I are in our mid-70s and would like to spend about two weeks on an African safari What is the best time of year to travel to Africa We aren’t squillionaires but would like to do it in style and comfort Any suggestions for operators that might meet our needs?D The safari camps there are mostly small and therefore when you see a hunting lion or cheetah it won’t be surrounded by half a dozen safari vehicles it’s home to the Okavango Delta as well as the Kalahari Desert two environments that give it unique flora and fauna and the wildlife has been less impacted than in some other parts of Southern Africa Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now I\\u2019m not sure where some of these places are in relation to each other and where would be good to base ourselves Japan\\u2019s \\u201Cart island\\u201D is much closer to Osaka than Tokyo These places will deliver the off-the-beaten-track experiences you\\u2019re looking for but they are widely disbursed and there is no option to base yourself in a central location and make short trips to each possibly using or Expedia to find hotels in the price bracket that suits you this is a complicated trip and without a lot of time and effort to construct your itinerary you would be better off talking to a specialist travel agency Based in Melbourne\\u2019s Little Collins Street they don\\u2019t generally allow tailored solutions you need to let your insurer know what you\\u2019re doing to ensure there are no obstacles take a 6\\u00BD hour train journey to Lugano a pretty lakeside town in Switzerland\\u2019s Italian-speaking Ticino region Lugano\\u2019s palm trees give it a Mediterranean vibe while the surrounding mountains Don\\u2019t miss the boat cruise to explore some of the lakeside villages including Morcote and Gandria The fastest trains make this journey in two hours but a much more interesting trip is train and bus to Fluelen followed by a three-hour ride aboard the historic ferries to Lucerne Spend three nights and then take a 2\\u00BD hour train ride to Lauterbrunnen From Lauterbrunnen the Wengeneralp Railway takes you to Kleine Scheidegg where you change to the to the Jungfraujoch When you leave the train you\\u2019ll step out onto ice or snow so be prepared for the cold and wear decent footwear From here you can ascend even higher by taking the lift to the Sphinx viewpoint at 3571 metres The ride aboard the has more incredible views over the Swiss Alps The train from Lauterbrunnen to Paris or Charles de Gaulle Airport will take seven hours We aren\\u2019t squillionaires but would like to do it in style and comfort One operator I\\u2019d recommend to help you construct your itinerary is Sydney-based which has been taking travellers to Africa for more than 50 years If you want a high-end experience at the very finest safari camps and lodges The safari camps there are mostly small and therefore when you see a hunting lion or cheetah it won\\u2019t be surrounded by half a dozen safari vehicles it\\u2019s home to the Okavango Delta as well as the Kalahari Desert Botswana\\u2019s population is relatively small Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances.