Louise Japha grew up in Hamburg, where she learned to play the piano from Fritz Warendorf and composition from Georg August Groß and Friedrich Wilhelm Grund.

[1] A long-lasting friendly relationship developed between Louise Japha and Brahms, who was seven years younger than her.

[1] In 1858, Louise Japha married the composer and music writer Wilhelm Langhans; they performed together.

[3] She worked in association with Stephen Heller, François-Auguste Gevaert, Camille Saint-Saëns, César Franck, and Gioachino Rossini.

Japha wrote an opera, and composed string quartets, piano pieces, and songs - but not all her works were published.