A special exhibition titled "Japan Discovers Europe: Variety and Unity of Europe in the light of the IWAKURA Mission 1872/73" was held in the NDL from April 25 to May 10, 2006. 

A diplomatic mission headed by Tomomi Iwakura*  left Japan in 1871 for the United States and Europe to learn about Western countries in matters of politics, social systems, economics, technologies, etc. The mission brought home what they had witnessed and learnt during their visit, and that contributed greatly to the reforms for the modernization of Japan which were carried out after their return.

This exhibition showed panels of scenes which are assumed to have been viewed by the delegation at that time in the European countries as well as related materials held by the NDL such as the notes of Hirobumi Ito* (related article in the NDL Newsletter), who was also a member of the delegation.

This event was sponsored by the NDL and the Austrian Embassy in Japan.

*link to the Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures