Michiko began playing the violin at the age of five. Her first violin teacher in Japan was Prof. Takahiro Muroya, with whom she learned for eleven years.
She entered Toho Gakuen School of Music in 1993 where she studied the violin with Prof. Tsugio Tokunaga, as well as the piano and conducting. She moved on to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with Prof. David Takeno. She also took part in the student exchange programme between GSMD and Robert Schumann Hochschule für Musik, Düsseldorf, where she studied with Prof. Ida Bieler.
Awards include the third prize at the JILA Music Competition, Croydon Symphony Orchestra Soloist Award, and she became one of five finalists in the prestigious Japan Music Competition in 2000. She also won all the available violin prizes at GSMD, gaining, as well as BMus (Hon.) First Class and MMus in Performance, the Concert Recital Diploma (Equivalent to European Premier Prix) in 2003. She was also the recipient of a special award for her "strong artistic temperament" at Lipizer International Violin Competition in Italy.
She has participated in international masterclasses by Toru Yasunaga (leader of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra), Ruggiero Ricci, György Pauk, Igor Ozim, Gerhard Schulz, Eduard Schmieder, and Hermann Krebbers.
She performed Saint-Saëns' third violin concerto with Epsom Symphony Orchestra, Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy with Croydon Symphony Orchestra at Fairfield Hall, and her performance of Bartök's second violin concerto with Guildhall Symphony Orchestra at Barbican Hall was awarded Musicians' Company Silver Medal from GSMD.
