was a Japanese singer, actress and

cultural icon A cultural icon is a person or an cultural artifact, artifact that is identified by members of a culture as representative of that culture. The process of identification is subjective, and "icons" are judged by the extent to which they can be seen ...

. She received a

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

for her contributions to music and for improving the welfare of the public, and was the first woman to receive the

People's Honour Award is one of the commendations bestowed by the Prime Minister of Japan on people in recognition of their accomplishments in sport, entertainment, and other fields. The award, not restricted to Japanese nationals, was created in 1977 by the then-Prime ...

, which was conferred posthumously for giving the public hope and encouragement after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Misora recorded a total of 1,200 songs and sold 68 million records. After she died, consumer demand for her recordings grew significantly, and, by 2001, she had sold more than 80 million records. By 2019, record sales surpassed 100 million. Her swan-song is often performed by numerous artists and orchestras as a tribute to her, including notable renditions by

The Three Tenors The Three Tenors were an operatic singing trio, active between 1990 and 2003, and termed a supergroup (a title normally reserved for rock and pop groups) consisting of Italian Luciano Pavarotti and Spaniards Plácido Domingo and José Carreras ...

(Spanish/Italian),

Teresa Teng Teng Li-Chun ( zh, t=鄧麗君, s=, p=Dèng Lìjūn; 29 January 1953 – 8 May 1995), commonly known as Teresa Teng, was a Taiwanese singer, television personality, musician, and philanthropist. Referred to by some as the "Honorific nicknames i ...

(Taiwanese) and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan (Mexican). Each year there is a special on Japanese television and radio featuring her songs. A memorial concert for Misora was held at the

Tokyo Dome is an indoor stadium in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium (whose former site is now occupied by the Tokyo Dome Hotel and a plaza for this stadium). In Japan, it is often us ...

on November 11, 2012. It featured numerous musicians such as Ai,

Koda Kumi , known professionally as , is a Japanese singer from Kyoto, known for her Urban contemporary, urban and Contemporary R&B, R&B songs. After debuting with the single "Take Back" in December 2000, Koda gained fame in March 2003 when the songs fr ...

Ken Hirai is a Japanese singer-songwriter. Since his debut, Hirai has worked as a model, actor, composer, lyricist, singer, and brand ambassador. During his career, Hirai has released forty-seven singles and eleven studio albums as of January 2024.

Kiyoshi Hikawa is a Japanese enka singer who was born on September 6, 1977, in Minami-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.Hikawa Kiyoshi: Pr ...

Exile Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...

AKB48 AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol musical girl group named after the Akihabara area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48 has sold more records than any other female musical act in Japanese history. AK ...

and

Nobuyasu Okabayashi is a Japanese folk singer-songwriter whose career spans more than 50 years. Often compared to Bob Dylan, ''Rolling Stone Japan'' called him an icon of Japan's politically turbulent 1960s and 1970s. Okabayashi made his debut in 1968 and quickly ...

amongst others, paying tribute by singing her most famous songs.

Biography

Life and career

Misora was born on May 29, 1937 in Isogo-ku, Yokohama, Japan. Her father, , was a

fishmonger A fishmonger (historically fishwife for female practitioners) is someone who sells raw fish and seafood. Fishmongers can be wholesalers or retailers and are trained at selecting and purchasing, handling, gutting, boning, filleting, displaying, ...

and her mother, , a

housewife A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which may include Parenting, caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; Sew ...

. Katō displayed musical talent from an early age after singing for her father at a

send-off party in 1943 at the age of six. Masukichi invested a small fortune from the family's savings to begin a musical career for his daughter. In 1945, at the age of eight, Kazue made her debut at a concert hall in

Yokohama is the List of cities in Japan, second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous Municipalities of Japan, municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a popu ...

. At that time, she changed her surname from Katō to , at the suggestion of her mother. In 1946, at the age of nine, entered the NHK Nodo Jiman singing competition. Judges did not pass her because they felt her voice was too mature and that it was inappropriate for a child to sing an adult song. Later that year, she appeared on another

NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

broadcast, and this time impressed Japanese composer

Masao Koga was a Japanese composer, mandolinist, and guitarist of the Shōwa era who was dubbed "Japan's Irving Berlin" by Universal Press Syndicate. His melancholy style, based upon Nakayama Shimpei's '' yonanuki'' scale, was popularly known in Japan ...

with her singing ability. He considered her to be a child prodigy with the courage, understanding, and emotional maturity of an adult. Over the next few years, Misora became an accomplished singer and toured notable concert halls to sold-out crowds. While the general public loved her, she was criticized by the social and cultural elites for sounding too much like a grown woman and for singing boogie woogies and love songs rather than children's songs. Kazue began her recording career in 1949 at the age of 12, now with the name , which means "lark in the beautiful sky," and starred in the film . The film gained her nationwide recognition. That same year, she recorded her first single for

Nippon Columbia , often pronounced ''Korombia'', operating internationally as , is a Japanese record label founded in 1910 as Nipponophone Co., Ltd. It affiliated itself with the Columbia Graphophone Company of the United Kingdom and adopted the standard UK C ...

. It became a commercial hit, selling more than 450,000 copies. She subsequently recorded "Kanashiki kuchibue", which was featured on a radio program and was a national hit. As an actress, Misora starred in more than 150 movies between 1949 and 1971, and won numerous awards. Her performance in '' Tokyo Kid'' (1950), in which she played a street orphan, made her symbolic of both the hardship and the national optimism of post-

Japan.

In June 1950, Misora was one of the first entertainers from Japan to visit the United States after the war. She performed in Hawaii and California. In 1956, Misora was briefly engaged to musician Mitsuru Ono. Their engagement was called off when Misora was told she would have to give up her career in order to marry. On January 13, 1957, Misora was attacked and injured with

hydrochloric acid Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid or spirits of salt, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride (HCl). It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungency, pungent smell. It is classified as a acid strength, strong acid. It is ...

at Asakusa International Theater. The suspect was identified as a fanatical admirer of hers. In 1962, Misora married actor

Akira Kobayashi is a Japanese actor and singer. His nickname is . Biography Kobayashi attended Meiji University but left before graduating. He became an actor at Nikkatsu and made his film debut with "Ueru Tamashii" directed by Yuzo Kawashima in 1956. He s ...

. They divorced in 1964, and she never remarried. Her mother, who had been opposed to the marriage, later stated that the unhappiest moment in her life was when her daughter married Kobayashi and the happiest moment was when they divorced. Between 1949 and 1971, Misora appeared in 8 to 12 films per year, usually with top billing. These films ranged from light contemporary romances to period films with sword-fighting action. In many of her period films, she was cast either in male roles or in female roles disguised as men. After she ended her film career, Misora sometimes sang in male drag in her many television performances. In 1973, Misora's younger brother, Tetsuya Katō, was prosecuted for gang-related activity. Although

did not acknowledge any connection, Misora was excluded from ''

Kōhaku Uta Gassen , more commonly known simply as ''Kōhaku'', is an annual New Year's Eve television special produced by Japanese public broadcaster NHK. It is broadcast live simultaneously on television and radio, nationally and internationally by the NHK net ...

'' for the first time in 18 years. Offended, she refused to appear on any NHK programs for years afterwards. Nevertheless, Misora eventually did make peace with NHK and appeared in the 1979 Kōhaku as a special guest. This was her final appearance on the program. Misora appeared occasionally on other NHK programs, but felt she no longer had a reason to perform on Kōhaku. In 1978, Misora adopted her seven-year-old nephew, Tetsuya's son Kazuya Katō. In 1980, on the 35th year anniversary of her debut, Misora performed a recital at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

Illness and death

The 1980s were incredibly difficult years for Misora. Her mother passed away in 1981 and a year later her best friend, fellow singer and actress

Chiemi Eri was a Japanese singer and actress. Eri was born as on January 11, 1937 in Tokyo, Japan. She was born to a musician father and a mother who was a singer, thus encouraging her musical career. She started her singing career at the age of 14 with ...

, died. Misora’s brothers both died in 1983 and 1986, respectively. Misora and her mother had been extremely close; not only had Kimie been her daughter's number one fan, but also she had worked as Misora's producer/manager throughout her career. To cope with her sorrow, Misora, having already been known as a hard drinker, increased her drinking and smoking even further. In April 1987, Misora suddenly collapsed on stage at a concert performance in

Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...

. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was diagnosed with

avascular necrosis Avascular necrosis (AVN), also called osteonecrosis or bone infarction, is death of bone tissue due to interruption of the blood supply. Early on, there may be no symptoms. Gradually joint pain may develop, which may limit the person's abilit ...

brought on by chronic

hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver parenchyma, liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), Anorexia (symptom), poor appetite ...

. Doctors did not reveal to the press that she was also suffering from

cirrhosis Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, chronic liver failure or chronic hepatic failure and end-stage liver disease, is a chronic condition of the liver in which the normal functioning tissue, or parenchyma, is replaced ...

so as to not cause worry to her fans and associates. She was immediately admitted, but eventually showed signs of recovery in August. She commenced recording a new song in October, and in April 1988 performed at her comeback concert at

. At the time, the audience was unaware that she had still not fully recovered and spent her backstage time lying in a bed with an oxygen tank. Despite overwhelming pain in her legs, Misora performed a total of 40 songs. Once off the stage after the last song, she collapsed and was taken away by an ambulance that was on standby. Misora's health improvement was to be temporary, as her liver weakened from decades of heavy drinking and her condition worsened. Yet, she continued to perform live while hiding the true nature of her health from her fans. On February 7, 1989 (less than a month after the

Heisei The was the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Akihito from 8 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. The Heisei era started on 8 January 1989, the day after the death of the Emperor Hirohito, when hi ...

period began), Misora held her final concert in

Kokura is an ancient Jōkamachi, castle town and the center of modern Kitakyushu, Japan. Kokura is also the name of the Kokura Station, penultimate station on the southbound San'yō Shinkansen line, which is owned by JR West. Ferries connect Kokura ...

. It was the start of a nationwide tour which had to be cancelled due to her failing health. On March 21, she wrapped up her nearly four-and-a-half-decade career with a 10-hour live radio show for

Nippon Broadcasting System , or JOLF, is a Japanese radio station based in Yurakucho, Chiyoda ward, Tokyo, headquartered near the Tokyo Imperial Palace. It is also the main company of the Nippon Broadcasting Group. Nippon Broadcasting System is a subsidiary of Fu ...

. She was later hospitalized at Juntendo University Hospital in Tokyo with

interstitial pneumonitis Interstitial lung disease (ILD), or diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD), is a group of respiratory diseases affecting the interstitium (the tissue) and space around the Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli (air sacs) of the lungs. It concerns Pulmonar ...

. On the morning of June 24, 1989, Misora died at Juntendo. She was 52. Her death was widely mourned throughout Japan and many felt the Shōwa period had truly come to an end. The major

television networks A television broadcaster or television network is a telecommunications network for the distribution of television show, television content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations, pay television providers or ...

had to cancel their regular programming that evening to bring the news of her death and instead aired various tributes.

Legacy

In 1993, a monument depicting Misora's portrait with an inscribed poem was erected in her memory near Sugi no Osugi in

Ōtoyo, Kōchi 270px, Sugi no Osugi 270px, Ōsugi Station is a town located in Nagaoka District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 3277 in 1968 households and a population density of 10 persons per km². The total area of ...

. In 1947, a 10-year old Misora had been involved in a serious bus collision in Ōtoyo. While recovering from her injuries, she remained in the town and reportedly visited Sugi no Osugi and wished to become the top singer in Japan. Misora’s father was so upset, he demanded that she stopped singing. The young Misora responded “If I can’t sing, then I will die.” She eventually returned to Tokyo, where she began her recording career in 1949 at the age of 12. In 1994, the ''Hibari Misora Museum'' opened in

Arashiyama is a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It also refers to the mountain across the Katsura River, Ōi River, which forms a backdrop to the district. Arashiyama is a Cultural Properties of Japan, nationally designated Monument ...

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

. This multi-story museum complex traced the history of Misora's life and career in various multimedia exhibits, and displayed various memorabilia. It attracted more than 5 million visitors, until it closed down November 30, 2006 as to allow a scheduled renovation of the building. The main exhibits were relocated to the

Shōwa period Shōwa most commonly refers to: * Hirohito (1901–1989), the 124th Emperor of Japan, known posthumously as Emperor Shōwa ** Shōwa era (昭和), the era of Hirohito from 1926 to 1989 * Showa Corporation, a Japanese suspension and shock manufactu ...

section of the

Edo-Tokyo Museum The is a historical museum located at 1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida-Ku, Tokyo in the Ryogoku district. The museum opened in March 1993 to preserve Edo's cultural heritage, and features city models of Edo and Tokyo between 1590 (just prior to the ...

, until a renovation was completed. The brand new ''Hibari Misora Theater'' opened in its place on April 26, 2008, and includes a CD for sale of a previously unreleased song. A bronze statue of her debut was built as a memorial in Yokohama in 2002 and attracts around 300,000 visitors per year. Beginning in 1990, television and radio stations play Misora's song annually on her birth date to show respect. In a national poll by

in 1997, the song was voted the greatest Japanese song of all time by more than 10 million people. The song is still prominently performed by numerous artists and orchestras as a tribute to Misora, including notable renditions by

(Spanish/Italian),

(Taiwanese), Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan (Mexican) and

Twelve Girls Band 12 Girls Band (, sometimes abbreviated to 女樂 or 女乐) are an all-female Chinese musical group that initially consisted of twelve members before the addition of a thirteenth. Twelve Girls Band use traditional Chinese instruments to play both ...

(Chinese). On November 11, 2012, a memorial concert for Misora was held at the

. It featured numerous musicians such as Ai,

Kiyoshi Hikawa is a Japanese enka singer who was born on September 6, 1977, in Minami-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.Hikawa Kiyoshi: Pr ...

and

amongst others, paying tribute to Misora by covering her most famous songs. In September 2019, Misora's voice became focused on after was used for a version of the

Vocaloid is a singing Speech synthesis, voice synthesizer software product. Its signal processing part was developed through a joint research project between Yamaha Corporation and the Music Technology Group at Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona. The s ...

engine known as "VOCALOID:AI", which tried to recreate her singing vocals. The Vocaloid performance also used a full 3D rendering of the singer. After Misora's death in 1989, a TBS television drama special aired later that same year under the title ''The Hibari Misora Story'' (), starring Kayoko Kishimoto as Misora. In 2005, also on TBS,

Aya Ueto is a Japanese actress, singer and television personality. In 1997, Ueto participated in the seventh Japan Bishōjo Contest, where she won the special jury prize. Soon thereafter, Ueto joined the talent agency Oscar Promotion and began taking s ...

portrayed Misora in ''The Hibari Misora Birth Story'' ().

Notable songs

* "Kappa Boogie Woogie" (, 1949) * "Kanashiki Kuchibue" (, 1949) * "Tokyo Kiddo" (, 1950) * "Echigo Jishi No Uta" (, 1950) * "Omatsuri Mambo" (, 1952) * "Ringo Oiwake" (, 1952) * "Minatomachi 13-banchi" (, 1957) * "Hanagasa Dōchū" (, 1957) * "Yawara" (, 1964) * "Kanashii Sake" (, 1966) * " Makkana Taiyō" (, 1967) * "Jinsei Ichiro" (, 1970) * "Aisansan" (, 1986) * "Midaregami" (, 1987) * "

Kawa no Nagare no Yō ni is song recorded by Japanese enka singer Hibari Misora, released on January 11, 1989. It was the last single that Misora released as she died soon after its release in June 1989. It was composed by Akira Mitake, with lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto. ...

" (, 1989) * "Arekara" (, 2019; posthumous)

Filmography

Hibari Misora appeared in 166 films:

1940s

(1940s complete) * '' Nodo jimankyō jidai'' (のど自慢狂時代)(1949) * '' Shin-Tokyo ondo: bikkuri gonin otoko'' (新東京音頭　びっくり五人男)(1949) * '' Odoru ryū kyūjō'' (踊る龍宮城, lit. "Dancing Dragon Palace")(1949) * '' Akireta musume-tachi'' (あきれた娘たち), alternate title: ''Kingorō no kodakara sōdō'' (金語楼の子宝騒動)(1949) * '' Kanashiki kuchibue'' (悲しき口笛, lit. "Sad whistling")(1949) * ''

Odoroki ikka is a 1949 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Torajiro Saito. Cast * Hibari Misora * Takako Irie (入江たか子) * Harume Tone (利根はる恵) * Nijiko Kiyokawa (清川虹子) * Achako Hanabishi (花菱アチャコ) * Shintarō ...

'' (おどろき一家)(1949) * ''

Home run kyō jidai A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or more human occupants, and sometimes various companion animals. Homes provide sheltered spaces, for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be pe ...

'' (ホームラン狂時代, lit. "The Age of Home run Madness")(1949)

1950s

(1950s is complete) * '' Hit Parade'' (ヒットパレード – 1950) * '' Akogare no Hawaii kōro'' (憧れのハワイ航路 – 1950) * '' Hōrō no utahime'' (放浪の歌姫, lit. "The Wandering Songstress" – 1950) * '' Mukō sangen ryōdonari continued: 3rd Story - donguri utagassen'' (続・向う三軒両隣　第三話　どんぐり歌合戦 – 1950) * '' Enoken no sokonuke daihōsō'' (エノケンの底抜け大放送 – 1950) * '' Mukō sangen ryōdonari continued: 4th Story - koi no mikeneko'' (続・向う三軒両隣　第四話　恋の三毛猫)(1950) * '' Aozora tenshi'' (青空天使, lit. "Blue Sky Angel" – 1950) * '' Tokyo Kid'' (東京キッド – 1950) * '' Sakon torimonochō: senketsu no tegata'' (左近捕物帖　鮮血の手型, lit. "Sakon Detective Story: The Fresh Blood Handprint" – 1950) * '' Ōgon Batto: Matenrō no kaijin'' (黄金バット　摩天楼の怪人, lit. " Golden Bat: Mysterious stranger of the Skyscraper" – 1950) * '' Tonbo kaeri dōchū'' (とんぼ返り道中 – 1950) * '' Watashi wa josei no. 1'' (1950) – as herself, the short film * '' Chichi koishi'' (父恋し – 1951) * '' Uta matsuri: Hibari shichi henge'' (唄祭り　ひばり七変化, lit. "Song Festival: Hibari Quick Change" – 1951) * '' Naki nureta ningyō'' (泣きぬれた人形, lit. "The Doll Wet from Crying" – 1951) * '' Kurama tengu: Kakubējishi'' (鞍馬天狗　角兵衛獅子 – 1951) * '' Haha wo shitaite'' (母を慕いて, lit. "Yearning for Mother" – 1951) * '' Hibari no komoriuta'' (ひばりの子守唄, lit. "Hibari's Lullaby" – 1951) * '' Kurama tengu: Kurama no himatsuri'' (鞍馬天狗　鞍馬の火祭 – 1951) * '' Ano oka koete'' (あの丘越えて, lit. "Cross that Hill" – 1951) * '' Yōki-na wataridori'' (陽気な渡り鳥 – 1952) * '' Kurama tengu: Tengu kaijō'' (鞍馬天狗　天狗廻状 – 1952) * '' Tsukigata Hanpeita'' (月形半平太 – 1952) * '' Hibari no Sākasu Kanashiki Kobato'' (ひばりのサーカス　悲しき小鳩, lit. "Hibari's Circus: Sad Little Dove" – 1952) * ''

Ushiwakamaru was a commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. During the Genpei War, he led a series of battles that toppled the Ise-Heishi branch of the Taira clan, helping his half-brother Yoritomo consolidate pow ...

'' (牛若丸 – 1952) * ''

Futari no hitomi a.k.a. ''Girls Hand in Hand'' (USA title) is a 1952 black-and-white Cinema of Japan, Japanese film directed by Shigeo Nakaki. Plot A girl visits her dad in Japan, and she makes friends with an orphan from the war. She then tries to raise mone ...

'' (二人の瞳) a.k.a. ''Girls Hand in Hand'' US title (1952) * '' Ringo-en no shōjo'' (リンゴ園の少女, lit. "Girl of Apple Park" – 1952) * '' Hibari-hime hatsuyume dōchū'' (ひばり姫初夢道中 – 1952) File:Yoki-na wataridori poster.jpg, Japanese movie poster for '' Yōki-na wataridori'' (1952) featuring Hibari Misora. File:Tsukigata Hanpeita 1952 poster.jpg, '' Tsukigata Hanpeita'' (1952) File:Ushiwakamaru poster.jpg, ''

'' (1952) File:Hibari-hime hatsuyume dochu poster.jpg, '' Hibari-hime hatsuyume dōchū'' (1952) * '' Mita katakure!'' (三太頑れっ！ – 1953) * '' Hibari no utau tamatebako'' (ひばりの歌う玉手箱, lit. "Hibari's Singing Treasure Chest" – 1953) * '' Shimai'' (姉妹, lit. "Sisters" – 1953) * '' Hibari no yōki-na tenshi'' (ひばりの陽気な天使 – 1953) * '' Hibari torimonochō: Utamatsuri happyaku yachō'' (ひばり捕物帳　唄祭り八百八町, lit. "Hibari Detective Story: Song Festival Across Tokyo" – 1953) * '' Hibari no kanashiki hitomi'' (ひばりの悲しき瞳 – 1953) * '' Yama wo mamoru kyōdai'' (山を守る兄弟, lit. "The Brothers who Protect the Mountain") (1953) * '' Ojōsan shachō'' (お嬢さん社長, lit. "Madame Company President" – 1953) File:Shimai poster.jpg, '' Shimai'' (1953) File:Hibari no yoki-na tenshi poster.jpg, '' Hibari no yōki-na tenshi'' (1953) File:Hibari torimonocho Utamatsuri happyaku yacho poster.jpg, '' Hibari torimonochō: Utamatsuri happyaku yachō'' (1953) * '' Misora Hibari no haru ha uta kara'' (美空ひばりの春は唄から, lit. "Hibari Misora's Spring is from Song" – 1954) * '' Hiyodori sōshi'' (ひよどり草紙 – 1954) * ''The Dancing Girl of Izu'' (伊豆の踊子, '' Izu no odoriko'' – 1954), a film adaptation of

Yasunari Kawabata was a Japanese novelist and short story writer whose spare, lyrical, subtly-shaded prose works won him the 1968 Nobel Prize in Literature, the first Japanese author to receive the award. His works have enjoyed broad international appeal and ...

's story '' The Dancing Girl of Izu'' * ''

Uta shigure oshidori wakashū Uta or UTA may refer to: Universities *University of Texas at Arlington, in the United States *University of Texas at Austin, in the United States *University of Tarapacá, in Chile *University of Tampere, in Finland Sports * FC UTA Arad, a R ...

'' (唄しぐれ　おしどり若衆 – 1954) * '' Seishun romance seat: Aozora ni owasu'' (青春ロマンスシート　青空に坐す – 1954) * '' Bikkuri gojūsantsugi'' (びっくり五十三次, lit. "Surprising

53 Stations of the Tōkaidō The are the rest areas along the Tōkaidō (road), Tōkaidō, which was a coastal route that ran from Nihonbashi in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Sanjō Ōhashi in Kyoto.. There were originally 53 government shukuba, post stations along the T� ...

" – 1954) * '' Yaoya Oshichi furisode tsukiyo'' (八百屋お七　ふり袖月夜 – 1954) * '' Wakaki hi wa kanashi'' (若き日は悲し – 1954) * '' Uta goyomi Onatsu Seijūrō'' (歌ごよみ　お夏清十郎 – 1954) * '' Shichihenge tanuki goten'' (七変化狸御殿, lit. "Quick Change Tanuki Palace" – 1954) File:Hiyodori soshi poster.jpg, '' Hiyodori sōshi'' (1954) File:Yaoya Oshichi furisode tsukiyo poster.jpg, '' Yaoya Oshichi furisode tsukiyo'' (1954) File:Uta goyomi Onatsu Seijuro poster.jpg, '' Uta goyomi Onatsu Seijūrō'' (1954) * '' Ōedo senryōbayashi'' (大江戸千両囃子 – 1955) * '' Musume sendōsan'' (娘船頭さん – 1955) * '' Seishun kōro: Umi no wakōdo'' (青春航路　海の若人 – 1955) * '' Uta matsuri mangetsu tanuki-gassen'' (歌まつり満月狸合戦 – 1955) * '' Furisode kyōenroku'' (ふり袖侠艶録 – 1955) * '' Takekurabe'' (たけくらべ, ''Adolescence'' a.k.a. ''Growing Up Twice'' a.k.a. ''Growing Up'' a.k.a. ''Child's Play'') (1955) – a film adaptation of Higuchi Ichiyō's novel '' Takekurabe'' * '' So Young, So Bright'' (ジャンケン娘 '' Janken musume'' – 1955) * '' Furisode kotengu'' (ふり袖小天狗 – 1955) * '' Fuefuki Wakamusha'' (笛吹若武者 – 1955) * '' Utamatsuri Edokko Kin-san torimonochō'' (唄祭り　江戸っ子金さん捕物帖 – 1955) * '' Rikidōzan monogatari dotō no otoko'' (力道山物語　怒濤の男 – 1955) * '' Hatamoto taikutsu otoko: nazo no kettōjō'' (旗本退屈男　謎の決闘状 – 1955) * '' Utae! Seishun Harikiri Musume'' (歌え！青春　はりきり娘 – 1955) File:Musume sendosan poster.jpg, '' Musume sendōsan'' (1955) File:Seishun koro Umi no wakodo poster.jpg, '' Seishun kōro: Umi no wakōdo'' (1955) File:Furisode kyoenroku poster.jpg, '' Furisode kyōenroku'' (1955) File:Furisode kotengu poster.jpg, '' Furisode kotengu'' (1955) File:Fuefuki Wakamusha poster.jpg, '' Fuefuki Wakamusha'' (1955) File:Utamatsuri Edokko Kin-san torimonocho poster.jpg, '' Utamatsuri Edokko Kin-san torimonochō'' (1955) File:Utae! Seishun Harikiri Musume poster.jpg, '' Utae! Seishun Harikiri Musume'' (1955) * (銭形平次捕物控　死美人風呂) (1956) * (おしどり囃子) (1956) * (恋すがた狐御殿 Koi sugata kitsune goten) (1956) * '' Peach Boy'' (宝島遠征 Takarajima ensei) (1956) * * (ふり袖太平記) (1956) * (ふり袖捕物帖　若衆変化) (1956) * (鬼姫競艶録) (1956) * (銭形平次捕物控　まだら蛇 Zenigata Heiji torimono hikae: madara hebi) (1957) * (大江戸喧嘩纏) (1957) * (旗本退屈男　謎の紅蓮搭) (1957) * (ふり袖捕物帖　ちりめん駕籠) (1957) * (ロマンス誕生 Romansu tanjō) (1957) * (おしどり喧嘩笠 Oshidori kenkagasa) (1957) * (怪談番町皿屋敷) (1957) * a.k.a. ''Big Hit Three Color Daughters'' (1957) * (青い海原) (1957) * (ふり袖太鼓) (1957) * (ひばりの三役　競艶雪之丞変化) (1957) * (ひばりの三役　競艶雪之丞変化　後篇) (1957) * (娘十八御意見無用) * (おしどり駕籠) * ''

The Badger Palace , a.k.a. ''The Princess of Badger Palace'', is a 1958 color (Eastmancolor) Japanese Musical film directed by Kōzō Saeki. Production designer was Kazuo Okawa, sound recordist was Kanji Nakano and lighting technician was Kazuo Shimomura. C ...

'' a.k.a. ''The Princess of Badger Palace'' (大当り狸御殿 Ōatari tanukigoten) (1958) * (丹下左膳) * '' Edo Girl Detective'' (ひばり捕物帖　かんざし小判 Hibari torimonochō: Kanzashi koban) (1958) * (恋愛自由型) (1958) * (花笠若衆) (1958) * (女ざむらい只今参上 Onnazamurai tadaima sanjō) (1958) * (おこんの初恋　花嫁七変化) (1958) * (ひばりの花形探偵合戦) (1958) * (希望の乙女) (1958) * (隠密七生記) (1958) * '' Secret of the Golden Coin'' (ひばり捕物帖　自雷也小判 Hibari torimonochō: jiraiya koban) (1958) * (娘の中の娘 Musume no Naka no Musume) (1958) * (唄祭り　かんざし纏) (1958) * '' Young Blades' Obligations: Cherry Blossom in Long Sleeves''　(いろは若衆　ふり袖ざくら Iroha wakashū: Furisode sakura) (1959) * '' The Great Avengers''　(忠臣蔵　桜花の巻　菊花の巻 Chūshingura: ōka no maki, kikka no maki) (1959) * (鞍馬天狗) (1959) * (東京べらんめえ娘 Tokyo beranmē musume) (1959) * (孔雀城の花嫁) (1959) * '' The Revenger in Red'' (紅だすき喧嘩状 Beni-dasuki kenkajō) (1959) * (お染久松そよ風日傘) (1959) * (水戸黄門天下の副将軍) (1959) * (江戸っ子判官とふり袖小僧) (1959) * (血闘水滸伝怒濤の対決) (1959) * '' Young Blades Obligations: Flower Palanquin Pass'' (いろは若衆花駕籠峠 Iroha wakashū: hana kago tōge) (1959) * (べらんめえ探偵娘 Beranmē tanteijō) (1959) * (ひばり捕物帖ふり袖小判) (1959) * '' The Prickly-mouthed Geisha'' (べらんめえ芸者 Beranmē geisha) (1959)

1960s – 1980s

* ( Zoku beran me-e geisha) (1960) * '' Samurai Vagabond'' (Tonosama – Yaji kita) (1960) * ( Oja kissa) (1960) * ''

Sword of Destiny ''Sword of Destiny'' () is the second published short story collection and fix-up novel in Polish fantasy writer Andrzej Sapkowski's ''The Witcher'' series. Although published in 1992, it is officially considered the second entry in the series ...

'' ( Koken wa arezu: tsukage ittōryu) (1960) * '' Ishimatsu: The One-Eyed Avenger'' (Hibari no mori no ishimatsu) (1960) * ( Hizakura kotengu) (1961) * ( Hakubajō no hanayome) (1961) * ( Beran me-e geisha makari tōru) (1961) * ( Sen-hime to Hideyori) (1962) * '' Hibari Traveling Performer'' (Hibari no Hahakoi Guitar) (1962) * '' Cosmetic Sales Competition'' (Minyo no Tabi Akita Obako) (1963) * ( Hibari, Chiemi, Izumi: Sannin yoreba) (1964) * ( Noren ichidai: jōkyō) (1966) * '' Festival of Gion'' (

Gion matsuri The is one of the largest and most famous festivals in Japan, taking place annually during the month of July in Kyoto. Many events take place in central Kyoto and at the Yasaka Shrine, the festival's patron shrine, located in Kyoto's famous Gio ...

) (1968) a.k.a. ''Gion Festival'' a.k.a. ''Kurobe's Sun'' a.k.a. ''The Day the Sun Rose''

Songs in films

Her songs also appeared in 5 Japanese films: * '' Shichihenge tanuki goten'' (七変化狸御殿 – 1954) * '' Janken musume'' (ジャンケン娘 – 1955) * '' Tenryū bōkoigasa'' (天竜母恋い笠 – 1960) * '' Uogashi no Onna Ishimatsu'' (魚河岸の女石松 – 1961) * '' Hana to Ryū: Seiun-hen Aizō-hen Dotō-hen'' (花と龍青雲篇愛憎篇怒濤篇 – 1973)

References

Bibliography

External links

Official website

Official museum website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Misora, Hibari 1937 births 1989 deaths 20th-century Japanese actresses Acid attack victims Nippon Columbia artists Enka singers Japanese child actresses Japanese child singers Japanese women pop singers Japanese film actresses Japanese women jazz singers Japanese jazz singers Singers from Yokohama People of the Shōwa era People's Honour Award winners Japanese contraltos 20th-century Japanese women singers 20th-century Japanese singers Japanese racehorse owners and breeders