is a Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese competitor in synchronized swimming

Synchronized swimming

Synchronized swImming is a hybrid form of swimming, dance and gymnastics, consisting of swimmers performing a synchronized routine of elaborate moves in the water, accompanied by music....

 from Ōtsu, Shiga

Otsu, Shiga

is the capital city of Shiga, Japan. The city was founded on October 1, 1898. As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 338,629 with an average age of 40.7 years and a population density of 905.28 persons per km²...

. She received five Olympic medals at the 1996

1996 Summer Olympics

The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....

, the 2000

2000 Summer Olympics

The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...

 and the 2004 Summer Olympics

2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...

. The silver medal from 2000 was in duet with Miho Takeda

Miho Takeda

is a Japanese competitor in synchronized swimming. She received five Olympic medals at the 1996, the 2000 and the 2004 Summer Olympics. The silver medal from 2000 was in Duet with Miya Tachibana, and the same duet received a silver medal also at the 2004 Olympics.She is a graduate of Ritsumeikan...

, and the same duet received a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics.

Tachibana began practicing the sport during her fourth year in elementary school. During the summer of 2008, she was a synchronized swimming coach for the Santa Clara Aquamaids

Santa Clara Aquamaids

Santa Clara Aquamaids is a synchronized swimming team located in Santa Clara, California. The ages of the athletes stretch from age six to thirty six. Their mission is to "To champion the pursuit of excellence in the international sport of synchronized swimming." The club, a non-profit, member...

 in Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...

.