Gekko was self-taught as an artist. In addition to his prolific output of illustrations for woodblock prints, he made designs for lacquerware and ceramics. He produced a manga series that rivaled Hokusai's in popularity. His prints were displayed at International Exhibitions. In 1904, work from the series, "One Hundred Views of Mt. Fuji" was awarded a gold medal at the St. Louis Exhibition. He was a founding member of the Bunten - the Ministry of Education art exhibitions. His print series included, "Gekko's Essays", "Flowers of Japan" and "Customs and Manners of Women".