Real name Yoshikiyo Yachi. He was born in Olympia, Washington, United States. In 1902, when he was six years old, he returned to Japan with his father, who succeeded as an entrepreneur. He debuted in 1925.

He retired in the fall of 1933, when he was 37 years old. His grandaughter is actress Tomoko Mayama , and his great granddaughter is photographer Mika Ninagawa. Edit Biography