Mako was born and raised in a small rural coastal town in Japan. Seeing her mother work as a general practitioner at her home clinic, she became fascinated by community physicians’ long, meaningful relationships with their patients and community. She loved to explore diverse cultures and perspectives both in and out of Japan while traveling, studying abroad and volunteering, and found her interest in behavioral health and health equity.

Mako completed six years of medical school at Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan. She enjoyed various clinical rotations both inside and outside Japan and engaged in research, medical education and community services. In between, she learned about family medicine and found that it would allow her to provide care to individuals, families and a community and to be with them at each stage of their life through long-term, trusting relationships. After graduation from medical school, she completed postgraduate training at Nippon Medical School Hospital.

Mako is particularly interested in preventive health, public health, behavioral and mental health, medical education, health equity and rural medicine. She is beyond excited to be joining the OHSU family medicine residency, learning and practicing a broad spectrum of family medicine with compassionate and enthusiastic people, while developing leadership, advocacy, academic and communication skills as a family physician.

Outside of work, Mako enjoys running, traveling and exploring nature and new places.