After graduating from the prominent Murasakino High school in Kyoto, Takahashi met the American artist Stanton Macdonald Wright, then a lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles. The lasting impression from his interaction with Wright and the influence from his father, a painter, convinced Takahashi to become an artist. He then enrolled in and graduated from the Otsuka School for Textile Design in Tokyo. In 1968 he opend his own studio for kimono and textile design in Kyoto called “Space Gen.” Throughout his career Takahashi has received several awards in Japan as well as being a member of the Kyoto Design Association. He was also the Director of Arts for Seika University in Kyoto in addition to being on the board of directors.

Genmei Takahashi is one of the few artist/artisans in Japan able to create a kimono in its totality. Currently, a single kimono is created by a collaboration of a designer, a painter, and a dyer. However, Takahashi is able to create the entire kimono from start to finish. He designs, dyes and paints it himself.