The book "Second Japanese Embassy to Europe (1863)" offers a detailed analysis of the Ikeda Mission, which was sent to Europe in 1863 by the Tokugawa Shogunate government. Led by Ikeda Nagaoki, the governor of Ibara, and his deputy Kawazu Sukekuni, the mission aimed to reach an agreement with France to close the port of Yokohama to foreign trade. This initiative was a response to political tensions and the desire to return Japan to a state of isolation (sakoku) after the country was opened by Commodore Perry in 1854. The book highlights the historical background, the challenges, and the ultimately unsuccessful mission that sought to reduce Western influence on Japan.