Live and travel vicariously through your stuffed animal

TOKYO – A Japanese travel agency is offering a world class vacation, all expenses included, starting at $35. Too bad it’s not for you; it’s for your stuffed animal.

Unagi Travel organizes vacations abroad in Asia, Europe and the United States. These trips are pretty spontaneous, sometimes including bike rides, lunches and sightseeing. Some 200 animals have participated in these excursions, with nearly half being repeat customers.

The business venture started as a hobby. Whenever the owner, Sonoe Azuma, would travel, she would take pictures with her stuffed eel appearing in the shot. It gained popularity when she posted it online, and that’s when she launched the business.

According to MSN, many of her clients are people who aren’t physically able to take these kinds of trips. Azuma says the stuffed animals’ adventures have even encouraged these folks to get out and visit these places themselves.