Iwakura Mission
With the Boshin War, and the overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Tomita returned briefly to Japan, but was urged back to the United States by Katsu Kaishū. His position was recognized by the new Meiji government was thus able to help organize the visit of the Iwakura Mission to the United States in 1872. Ito Hirobumi and Okubo Toshimichi confirmed his position as the first Japanese Vice-Consul to New York during the course of the Iwakura Mission. He finally returned to Japan in 1874, and soon became a member of the "Meirokusha." Through the introduction of Fukuzawa Yukichi, he married the daughter of Sugiyama Gen, and drew up the first recorded formal marriage contract in Japan. Afterwards, he was appointed Japanese consul-general to Shanghai. Subsequently, Tomita served as Secretary to the Japanese legation in London.