Berawal sebagai model di [[Naha, Okinawa]], Nikaidō memulai debut filmnya pada tahun 2009 di Toad's Oil, disutradarai oleh [[Kōji Yakusho]].<ref name=Ryukyu>{{cite news|title=映画「ガマの油」で女優に初挑戦 二階堂ふみに聞く|url=http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-149574-storytopic-137.html|accessdate=23 November 2013|newspaper=Ryūkyū Shinpō|date=8 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130526070741/http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-149574-storytopic-137.html|archive-date=26 May 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Dia dan [[shōta sometani]] menerima [[Penghargaan Marcello Mastroianni Award]] sebagai Aktor Muda Terbaik, dan Aktris Terbaik. Untuk akting mereka di [[Sion Sono]] pada film [[Himizu (film)|Himizu]] mendapatkan [[Festival Film Venesia]] Ke-68 tahun 2011.<ref name=AJW>{{cite web|last=Nishida|first=Kensaku|title=Japanese teenagers win young actor, actress award at Venice Film Festival|url=http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/movies/AJ201109120057|work=Asia & Japan Watch|publisher=Asahi Shimbun|accessdate=23 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203095248/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/movies/AJ201109120057|archive-date=3 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Pada tahun 2014, dia diperkenalkan di majalah [[Variety (majalah)|Variety]] sebagai "Bintang baru di perfilman Jepang"<ref name=Variety>{{cite news|title=Int'l Star You Should Know|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/intl-star-you-should-know-fumi-nikaido-1201154326|accessdate=18 April 2014|publisher=Variety|date=11 April 2014}}</ref> dan New York Asian Film Festival menghadiahkannya sebagai "Bintang baru".<ref name="Subway Cinema">{{cite news|title=FUMI NIKAIDO Screen International Rising Star Award|url=http://www.subwaycinema.com/nyaff14/guests/fumi-nikaido|accessdate=27 July 2014|publisher="Subway Cinema"|date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140622132946/http://www.subwaycinema.com/nyaff14/guests/fumi-nikaido/|archive-date=22 June 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
