The son of a Japanese general, he was born in Tokyo in 1886 and moved to France in 1913. In Paris he hung out with Picasso and Matisse and was good friends with Modigliani, teaching him some judo moves, and Soutine, teaching him how to use a toothbrush. Foujita lived in Paris most of his life, adopted French citizenship and Christianity and took the Western name Leonard (he was born Tsuguharu Fujita) and adopted French spelling for his last name.