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was a younger half-brother of the Japanese Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu. He was born in Komagome, Tokyo, as the 18th son of Tokugawa Nariaki. Initially lord of Aizu, he became lord of Shimizu in 1866 before his departure for France. ==Biography== Aged only 14 years, 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.〔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 Japan, and allowed many visitors to come in contact with Japanese art and techniques. His mission to meet Napoleon III was successful, and when the fair was ended, Tokugawa Akitake confered with William III of the Netherlands, Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, and Queen Victoria during the travel to several European countries.〔Including a gold pocket watch with enameled portrait of Tokugawa Akitake inside, objects related to the 1867 delegation are in the collection of Tokugawa Akitake artifacts at his villa in Matsudo, now a public history museum called Tojōkan. The residential building as well as gardens are restored.〕 With Leopold II of Belgium, he inspected troops wearing a traditional Japanese battle surcoat which was photographed at that occasion.〔For the 1867 World Fair, attire including formal kimono and accessories were tailored. "Hi-rashaji Mitsuba-aoi-mon jin-baori", or a traditional battle surcoat made with red wool and brocade, embroidered hollyhock family crest on the back, was among those for formal conference, lined with gilt thread brocade.〕 He came back to France and pursued studies, but had to return to Japan upon the death of his half-brother Tokugawa Yoshiatsu, and arrived a few months after the Meiji restoration in 1868. Tokugawa Akitake succeeded Tokugawa Yoshiatsu and became the 11th Lord of the Mito Clan,〔(Japan National Diet Library )〕 and the Governor in 1869. His request for land development in Hokkaido was granted on August 17, 1869, to supervise Tomamae-gun, Teshio-gun, Kamikawa-gun, Nakagawa-gun in Teshio no kuni along with Rishiri-gun in Kitami no kuni. Retired in 1871 by the abolition of the han system and left the regular residence in Mito to live at Koumetei mansion in Mukōjima, Tokyo, the former Shimoyashiki suburban residence belonging to Mito Clan. Tokugawa Akitake was appointed in 1875 to second lieutenant of Japanese Army, and taught military culture as an instructor to student corps during the early days of Army military academy Rikugun Toyama Gakkō, married with Nakanoin Eiko the same year. 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 accompanied with brother Tsuchiya Shigenao and half-brother Matsudaira Nobunori. He would return to Japan in 1881, where he served Emperor Meiji.〔 In 1883 the eldest daughter was born to Akitake, but his wife Eiko died soon after. Tokugawa Akitake retired and moved to Tojōtei villa in Matsudo in 1884. The Lord of the Mito birthright was left to Tokugawa Atsuyoshi, his half-nephew, until Atsuyoshi died at the age of 44 in 1898. Atsuyoshi's son Tokugawa Kuniyuki was 11 years old at that time who became the 13th head of the Mito Tokugawa household under the tutelage of Tokugawa Akitake. Tokugawa Takesada, Akitake's second son born in 1888, was conferred a viscount in 1892 and found the Matsudo Tokugawa family. Tokugawa Akitake died at Koumetei mansion. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Tokugawa Akitake」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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