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Waka Yamada was born Asaba Waka in Kurihama Village, Japan, to a poor peasant family. When she turned 18, she traveled to nearby Yokohama to find employment, but was kidnaped and trafficked to Seattle. Once in Seattle, she was a victim of prostitution, and became known as "Arabian Oyae." While in captivity as a sex slave, she met a Japanese journalist named Shinzaburo Ritsui, who promised her freedom, but ultimately trafficked her himself in San Francisco. Yamada eventually escaped and found refuge at Cameron House, a Presbyterian mission set up to help prostitutes who have escaped their traffickers. In 1903, she met and married Kakichi Yamada and the two moved back to Tokyo, Japan.Once back in Japan, Yamada began exploring feminist literature, writing for the magazine Bluestocking, and speaking out about women's rights in relation to their roles as wives, mothers, and guardians. This differed from many other feminist views of the time, which largely favored independence and equality. Her ideals did align with the views of imperial Japan, which promoted the importance of good wives and mothers as roles central to the war effort. However, she found herself at odds with many Western feminists, who believed that women's equality with men was paramount and staunchly opposed imperial Japanese goods. Regardless, Yamada became a celebrity in her own right, going on international tours and even being invited to visit Eleanor Roosevelt at the White House on December 7, 1937. Yamada became and remained a prominent community organizer for Japan throughout her life, helping to advocate for the "Maternal and Child Protection Act," the formation of the New Women's Association, and the creation of a school in Tokyo centered on aiding those escaping prostitution.