Yamada met fellow band members Masafumi Gotoh and Kensuke Kita while attending a music club of Kanto Gakuin University.

The three formed Asian Kung-Fu Generation in 1996, with drummer Kiyoshi Ijichi joining the band shortly after.

[1] While Gotoh acts the main songwriter of the band, Yamada has composed music for certain songs, such as After Dark, Re:Re:, Siren and Sore dewa, Mata Ashita.

[2] In 2021, he composed and arranged Nacherry's debut single "Fortune Teller" and performed together with his bandmate Ijichi.

[3] Yamada has a degree in literature and his favourite bands are The Beatles, Oasis, The Smashing Pumpkins and Pet Shop Boys.