Michisei was born in Isezaki, Gunma Prefecture,[1] the son of Kohno Jiro, a painter, teacher of art and portrait photographer[3] who was also a member of the Japanese Orthodox Church;[4] some sources state that he grew up in Nagano City.

[4] Michisei soon fell under the influence of painter Kishida Ryūsei, and joined the latter's Sodosha movement in 1915; he also exhibited at times with Kokugakai, Nikakai, Shun'yokai, and Bunten.

[1] After Kishida's death Kohno turned increasingly to illustration, producing artwork for a number of novels published during the Shōwa period[3] and working for a variety of newspapers.

[1] He also produced woodblock prints during his career,[1] and served as art director for one film directed by Kazunobu Shigemune for Toho Studios, Matsushita mura juku, in 1939.

[7] Stylistically, perhaps Kohno's greatest influence was the work of Albrecht Dürer, which he knew, as did most of his Japanese artistic contemporaries, primarily from books and magazines; indeed, the pose, color scheme, costume, and background of his Self-Portrait of 1917 indicate his familiarity with the German master's Self Portrait at Twenty-Eight Years Old Wearing a Coat with Fur Collar of 1500.