Born in Japan, Yumiko began studying ballet at the age of three and eventually became a finalist at the Prix de Lausanne 2006. She then moved to the UK at age 15 to train at English National Ballet School and went on to enjoy a 13-year professional dance career with Mainfranken Theater Würzburg in Germany, the State Ballet of Georgia, Hong Kong Ballet and Houston Ballet, where she was a demi-soloist.
During her career, Yumiko performed a wide range of classical and contemporary works by renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine, Kenneth MacMillan and John Neumeier.
She has extensive experience teaching classical ballet to students of all ages and levels in Japan, Hong Kong and the United States. Additionally, Yumiko obtained her RYT 200 yoga certification in 2025, which helps her incorporate body awareness and injury prevention into her teaching.