Shōen was born in Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto, as the second daughter of a tea merchant. She was born two months after the death of her father and thus grew up together with her mother and aunts in an all female household. Her mother’s tea shop attracted a refined, cultured clientele for the art of Japanese tea ceremony. As a child, Shōen drew pictures and exhibited considerable skill at drawing human figures. She became obsessed with the ukiyoe works of Hokusai. Her mother supported her decision to pursue an artistic career.