While yet a child studied under Raisho Nakajima and later under Bunrin Shiokawa. Later under the influence of Kdseki Nakanishi mastered Nanga (Southern Chinese school of painters).
Bairei Kono was judge of National Painting Exhibition in 1882. While a teacher at Kyoto Prefectural Art School did much to train young painters and among his students were Hobun Kikuchi, Seiho Takeuchi and Kako Tsuji.