As soon as he completed his primary education, Tanaka left home and emigrated to Seattle in 1904, where he made his living washing dishes and working as a peanut vendor, while studying English in night classes at Broadway High School.

He had his first solo showing in an exhibition room at the Seattle Public Library in 1915 and presented works at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition later that same year.

He continued to exhibit for several more years, winning a few awards, but he and Louise decided that the art market in the United States wasn't receptive to his work and they moved to Paris in 1920.

[3] In 1939, following the outbreak of World War II, most of the Japanese in France were compelled to return to Japan but, having an American wife, he was able to stay in Paris.

His unsold paintings remained with Louise until after her death, when they were discovered by an art collector who took them to Japan and, in 1976, presented the first showing of Tanaka's works in his homeland.