  By tracing the distribution of cool dust in the extended envelopes of
post-AGB stars and (proto)-planetary nebulae ((P)PNe) we aim to recover, or
constrain, the mass loss history experienced by these stars in their recent
past. The Far-Infrared Surveyor (FIS) instrument on board the AKARI satellite
was used to obtain far-infrared maps for a selected sample of post-AGB stars
and (P)PNe. We derived flux densities (aperture photometry) for 13 post-AGB
stars and (P)PNe at four far-infrared wavelengths (60, 90, 140, and 160 um).
Radial (azimuthally averaged) profiles are used to investigate the presence of
extended emission from cool dust. No (detached) extended emission is detected
for any target in our sample at levels significant with respect to background
and cirrus emission. Only IRAS 21046+4739 reveals tentative excess emission
between 30 and 130". Estimates of the total dust and gas mass from the obtained
maps indicate that the envelope masses of these stars should be large in order
to be detected with the AKARI FIS. Imaging with higher sensitivity and higher
spatial resolution is needed to detect and resolve, if present, any cool
compact or extended emission associated with these evolved stars.
