In late 1866, aged only 14 years, Tokugawa Akitake was designated as special emissary to France and led the Japanese delegation to the 1867 World Fair in Paris, where Japan had a pavilion Shibusawa Eiichi was appointed to accountant and secretary for Tokugawa Akitake in 1866 and assigned to join the delegation to Paris. He kept concise diary during the mission. The mission left Yokohama on January 11, 1867, and reached Paris two months later. The fair aroused considerable interest in Europe, and allowed many visitors to come in contact with Japanese art and techniques for the first time.