Yoshi Yubai was born in 1980 and grew up in Hiroshima, Japan. He began studying countercultures as a teenager, and became an expert in rock music, Punk, and unusual cultural phenomena. He first traveled to San Francisco at age 20, returning several times to study English and intern at RE/Search. He began using a film camera during this time, studying with Ana Barrado and returning to Japan to study with Masatoshi Naito for a period. He also traveled extensively in Europe, studying the 16th century printmaking and painting masters, and moved to New York City for a period, doing Street Photography there and helping out at Japanese restaurants.