Kōsaku Yamada, who decided to relocate his base of activities to the United States, departed from Yokohama Port on December 17, 1917. Shortly after boarding, he fell ill and temporarily recuperated in Hawaii, before arriving in San Francisco on January 14 of the following year. Although his health did not improve for some time, he gradually expanded his scope of activities, including publishing the song cycle Chōgetsu-shū and performing at Carnegie Hall.

Japanese Shadow Pictures (Nihon-fū no Kagee) was composed between 1918 and 1919 during his stay in the United States, although the detailed composition date is unknown as only the autograph draft survives. It is believed to have been composed at the request of a publisher, and the first edition was published by Composers’ Music Corporation.

It is a suite consisting of four movements. As the title "Japanese Style" suggests, a pentatonic scale is employed, and a Japanese aesthetic can be felt throughout the piece through its rhythms and ornamentation.

• Movement 1: "Good Morning" (O-hayō) is composed with a texture where the left hand follows the right hand's melody one measure later.
• Movement 2: "Good Afternoon" (Kon'nichiwa) is characterized by dynamic appoggiaturas and the left hand's perfect fifths.
• Movement 3: "Good Evening" (Konbanwa) features an accompaniment pattern resembling waves throughout the entire piece.
• Movement 4: "Good Night" (O-yasumi), the right and left hands each play distinct melodic lines.