Yoshida Masaji was a second-generation sosaku and mokuhanga artist born in rural Wakayama Prefecture in 1917. After graduating from middle school, Yoshida moved to Tokyo, where he studied at the Kawabata Painting School and then later in the Western-style division at the Tokyo School of Fine Art. During his time at the academy, Yoshida also attended mokuhanga courses under Hiratsuka Un'ichi. Yoshida enjoyed making hanga, and wanted to learn more about the curious, new medium; unfortunately, the Japanese government had other plans for him. 

After graduating in 1942, Yoshida was immediately drafted into the army and received a series of promotions before being wounded on the battlefield. Over the following year, Yoshida was confined to a military hospital before becoming a prisoner of war in China. Repatriated in 1946, Yoshida returned to the Tokyo School of Fine Art for postgraduate studies while working as a part-time art instructor. In 1951 he became a member of the Nihon Hanga Kyokai and three years later joined the Modern Art Kyokai organization. 

Over the next several years, Yoshida exhibited at international competitions in Zurich (1956), Krakow, São Paulo (1959), and Tokyo (1957). Throughout his career, Yoshida transitioned from Western-style painting towards two-dimensional abstraction, inspired in part by discussions with Onchi Koshiro. Early abstractions reflect the mind of a war-weary veteran, with soft greys and simple linework (e.g., Silence, 1954.) instilling a deep sense of calm. Later works, however, are conceived with a renewed sense of vigor, featuring large, geometric shapes and bold contrasts (e.g., Fountain of Earth, 1956.).