下総の古河（今の茨城県）に生まれ、7歳で歌川国芳に入門、その後狩野派で本格的に学びました。浮世絵の自由さと狩野派の確かな技を合わせもち、仏画から妖怪、動物、風刺画まで、なんでも描きます。とくにカエルやカラスの絵が人気でした。イギリスの建築家ジョサイア・コンドルも弟子入りしています。
Kyōsai was born in Koga, Shimōsa (now Ibaraki). At seven, he began studying with Utagawa Kuniyoshi, then trained seriously in the Kanō school. He combined the freedom of ukiyo-e with Kanō skill and painted everything, from Buddhist images and monsters to animals and satire. His frogs and crows were especially popular. Even the British architect Josiah Conder became his pupil.
