He was a prominent designer of the shin-hanga ("new prints") movement, whose artists depicted traditional subjects with a style influenced by yōga (Western-style painting).

Like many earlier ukiyo-e prints, Hasui's works were commonly landscapes, but displayed atmospheric effects and natural lighting.

Towards the end of his life the government recognized him as a Living National Treasure for his contribution to Japanese culture.

His paternal uncle was Kanagaki Robun (1829–94), a Japanese author and journalist, who produced the first manga magazine.

[1] He sketched from nature, copied the masters' woodblock prints, and studied brush painting with Araki Kanyu.

[1] His parents had him take on the family rope and thread wholesaling business, but its bankruptcy when he was 26 led him to pursue art.

[3] From the series Twenty Views of Tōkyō, Zōjō-ji Temple in Shiba, published in 1925, became Hasui's best-selling work and many printmakers began to imitate his style.

[3] Hasui studied ukiyo-e and Japanese style painting at the studio of Kiyokata Kaburagi.

During the forty years of his artistic career, Hasui worked closely with Shōzaburō Watanabe, publisher and advocate of the shin-hanga movement.

The government Committee for the Preservation of Intangible Cultural Treasures had intended to honor traditional printmaking via awards to Hasui and Ito Shinsui in 1953.

Because the artists' work necessitated collaboration between designer, engraver, and printer, objections were raised over singling out individual participants for recognition.

[7] Hasui worked almost exclusively on landscape and townscape prints based on sketches and watercolors he made in Tokyo and during travels around Japan.