He graduated from the middle school attached to the Tokyo Higher Normal School. In 1905, on Ogai Mori’s advice, he entered the Western painting course of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts and studied under Seiki Kuroda. In 1913 he went to France and became friendly with Modigliani, Soutine and Picasso. About this time he devised a milky-white ground suggesting white porcelain, on which he drew figures — nudes above all — in a fine line made with the mensō brush. In 1919 he showed such works at the Salon d’Automne for the first time, drew attention, and was elected a member in the same year. In 1923 he became a member of the Salon des Tuileries. He was a member of the Nika-kai from 1934 to 1941, and afterwards a member of the Imperial Art Academy. After travelling to France in 1949 he took French nationality. In 1959 he was baptised a Catholic and became Léonard Foujita. He went on painting nudes, self-portraits and cats in a manner of his own, and in his last years often took Christian subjects and children. He later served as a judge for major exhibitions in France and Japan and won an international reputation.