Born in Obihiro (Hokkaido), in 1933, Yayanagi graduated Hokkaido Obihiro Agricultural High School, majoring in Animal Husbandry, in 1951. He subsequently entered Tokyo Hoshi University, but withdrew in 1953. From 1957-1959 Yayanagi lived in Sao Paolo, Brazil, as well as traveling through Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong and Manila, before returning to Japan. Between 1965 and 1968 he again went abroad, and lived in Paris; where he studied woodblock printing at S.W.Heyter Atelier 17.

Beginning with his 1954 exhibition in Tokyo, Yayanagi has continued to exhibit, not only in Japan, but in many countries internationally. Particularly from 1966, he took part in exhibitions such as the International Print Biennale of Krakow, Poland, and the Sao Paolo Biennale, Brazil, showing numerous print works all around the world.