Late April, spring has arrived in northern Japan. Travel the JR Ou and Gono Lines, discovering cherry blossoms, hiking a lush beech forest, soaking in a seaside spring and trying fermented soybeans.

Japan's Nippon Yusen (9101.T) subsidiary NYK Cruises Co said on Friday that its luxury cruise ship "Asuka II" was returning to port after a passenger tested positive for the coronavirus.