Ishikawa Mitsuaki studied Kano School painting, along with wooden sculpture from his father, a wood carving artisan who worked for the Shogunate, and then studied ivory sculpture.

He created various carved interior decorations of the Imperial Palace, and received many prizes in various international and domestic exhibitions with works of both ivory and wood.

He was hired by the Tokyo Fine Arts School (antecedent of this University) in 1890, and was appointed Imperial Artist the same year.

He became professor the following year. His Kannon Bosatsu wooden relief, exhibited in the 1893 Chicago Columbus World Fair, and his ivory Falconer, exhibited in the 1900 Paris International Exhibition are two of his most representative pieces, both receiving prizes. Like Takenouchi, he also acted as judge to various exhibitions both international and domestic, until he died in 1913, still a professor of the Tokyo Fine Arts School.