Hasegawa left Japan for France in the sixties to develop his knowledge of engraving. During the early days of learning, still heavily influenced by his former life in Japan, his work was starkly linear using only monochromatic tones of black into greys. Quickly mastering the techniques he was learning, Hasegawa soon went beyond what he had been taught creating abstract imagery in work which still made use of his traditional Japanese materials.
Hasegawa has combined Eastern and Western influences in his own unique way. Throughout the years Hasegawa's work has moved forward from his early symbolic work with his use of ancient Japanese painting materials, through to abstract painting and print making. Within his work however, he has kept one characteristic: translucence of colour from early watercolours and drawings at school through to his etching he has become the master of transparency. In his etchings where the paper is covered with only a thin film of ink, the details of the marks show through to create a depth rarely seen before.