Born in Kagoshima Prefecture as the son of a samurai of the Satsuma Domain. In 1884 (Meiji 17), he went to France to study law but changed course midway to pursue painting, studying under the Impressionist Raphaël Collin. After returning to Japan, he painted female figures and landscapes using bright, plein air techniques. He also established the art school Tenshin Dojo and founded the Hakuba-kai in 1896. In 1898, he became a professor at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts). He is known as the “Father of Modern Western Painting in Japan,” having brought significant change to the Japanese art world not only as a Western-style painter himself but also through his efforts to promote Western painting and establish academic standards.