A representative of KaleidoForest Inc., Makiko Sugishita is a Forest Therapy Guide based in Yakushima, Japan—the first site in the world to conduct nature- and forest-based medical research activities.

She is the first dual-certified Forest Therapy Guide in Japan, holding certifications from both ANFT (Association of Nature and Forest Therapy) as well as the Forest Therapy Society. Since she moved to Yakushima in October 2020, she has guided over 1,000 people in her KaleidoForest “deep Shinrin-yoku” program. In 2024, she became a certified ANFT trainer to train guides at the global level.

Prior to becoming a forest therapy guide, Makiko was involved in various international projects for 20 years. She has worked with JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and various UN organizations, focusing on improving the health status of vulnerable populations, especially in Africa and Southeast Asia.

In addition to being a forest therapy guide, she is currently a designated ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) Global Advisor for the Yakushima Board of Education, giving lectures on sustainability topics for teachers and pupils alike. She is also a Board member of Yakushima Onoaida Clinic, which is run by her husband Dr. Sugishita—who himself is engaged in forest-based medical research activities.

She holds a B.A. in international law from Kansai University in Japan, an M.A. in Public Health (International Health) from Johns Hopkins University, and an M.A. in Economic and Social Development from the University of Pittsburgh in USA.