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Tokugawa Akitake was born in Komagome, Tokyo, as the 18th son of Tokugawa Nariaki. Initially lord of Aizu, he became lord of Shimizu before his departure for France. Tokugawa Akitake led the Japanese delegation to the 1867 World Fair in Paris, where Japan had its own pavilion. He was designated as special emissary to France and head of the Japanese delegation to the Paris exhibition on November 28, 1866. He stayed in France to pursue studies, but had to return to Japan with the Meiji restoration in 1868. Upon his return, he became Lord of the Mito Clan. In 1876, Tokugawa Akitake went to the United States, as the emissary in charge of the Japanese exhibition at the 1876 World Fair in Philadelphia. He then went to France again for studies. He would return to Japan in 1881, where he served Emperor Meiji. (Photo by: Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)