Makiko obtained a BA in Aesthetics and Art History from Kanazawa College of Arts, Japan, in 2000. After over 3 years in the Conservation Department of the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, a QEST Scholarship allowed Makiko to obtain formal postgraduate training and an MA in Paper Conservation from Camberwell College of Arts, London.
After the successful completion of her MA, Makiko carried out several internships in the USA, Japan and UK. She is currently working at the Bodleian Library as a Library Assistant and a freelance conservator. She also started a PhD in 2019, researching 18-19th century Japanese Nanga Paintings through art historical and material analysis, with a focus on the Nanpin School, using collections at the Ashmolean Museum and the British Museum.