was a Japanese singer, actress and

cultural icon A cultural icon is a person or an 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 as an authentic ...

. She received a

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

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, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. 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 during the 1990s and early 2000s, and termed as a supergroup (a title normally reserved for rock and pop groups) consisting of Italian Luciano Pavarotti and Spaniards Plácido Domingo and ...

(Spanish/Italian),

Teresa Teng Teng Li-Chun (; 29 January 1953 – 8 May 1995), commonly known as Teresa Teng, was a Taiwanese singer, actress, musician and philanthropist. Referred to by some as " Asia's eternal queen of pop," Teng became a cultural icon for her contributio ...

(Taiwanese) and

Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan Mariachi (, , ) is a genre of regional Mexican music that dates back to at least the 18th century, evolving over time in the countryside of various regions of western Mexico. The usual mariachi group today consists of as many as eight violins, ...

(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 Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium. Construction on the stadium began on May 16, 1985, and it opened on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of th ...

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 and R&B songs. After debuting with the single "Take Back" in December 2000, Koda gained fame in March 2003 when the songs from her seventh single, "Real Emotion ...

Ken Hirai is a Japanese R&B and pop singer. Since his debut, Hirai has worked as a model, actor, composer, lyricist, singer, and brand ambassador. During his career, Hirai has released 45 singles and nine studio albums as of January 2019.Kiyoshi Hikawa is a Japanese enka singer who was born on September 6, 1977 in Minami-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.Hikawa Kiyoshi: Pro ...

Exile Exile 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 and peoples suf ...

AKB48 AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48's producer, Yasushi Akimoto, wanted to form a girl group with it ...

and

Nobuyasu Okabayashi is a Japanese folk singer-songwriter. He has been called "Japan's Bob Dylan." His childhood home was his father's church (established by William Merrell Vories, the founder of OMI Medical Supplies Corp). His current residence is Kameoka, Kyo ...

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, me ...

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 includes caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; making, buying an ...

. 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 had invested a small fortune taken 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 second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...

. At that same time, she also 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 same year, she appeared on another

NHK , also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee. NHK operates two terrestr ...

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 as ...

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 was touring 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, she starred in more than 150 movies between 1949 and 1971, and won numerous awards. Her performance in ''

Tokyo Kid is a 1950 black-and-white Japanese film musical comedy and drama directed by Torajiro Saito. Cast * Hibari Misora as an orphan Mariko Tanimoto * Haruhisa Kawata (川田晴久) as the street musician Sanpei * Shunji Sakai (堺駿二) as Sa ...

'' (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, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride. It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungent smell. It is classified as a strong acid Acid strength is the tendency of an acid, symbol ...

at Asakusa International Theater. The suspect was identified as an overly enthusiastic fan 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, would later state 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 would appear in 8 to 12 films per year, and in the majority of these films top billing would be given to her. These films would range from light contemporary romances to period films with some sword fighting action. In many of her period films, she would be cast either in male roles or in female roles disguised as men. After she ended her film career, Misora would sometimes sing in male drag in many of her 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 Kouhaku as a special guest. This would be her final appearance on the program before her death. Misora would appear occasionally on other NHK programs, but felt she no longer had a reason to perform on Kouhaku. 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 popular singer and actress. Eri was born as on January 11, 1937 in Tokyo, Japan. She started her singing career at the age of 14 with her version of "Tennessee Waltz." Her repertoire consisted largely of traditional Japanese son ...

, 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 sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, 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 ancie ...

. 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 ability to move. Co ...

brought on by chronic

hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the 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), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pa ...

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

cirrhosis Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease, is the impaired liver function caused by the formation of scar tissue known as fibrosis due to damage caused by liver disease. Damage causes tissue repai ...

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 is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Emeritus 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, ...

period began), Misora held her final concert in

Kokura is an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyushu, Japan, guarding the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshu and Kyushu with its suburb Moji. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound San'yō Shinkansen lin ...

. 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 in Yurakucho, Chiyoda ward, Tokyo, next to the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Founded in 1954, it is together with Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, the flagship station of the National Radio Network. Nippon Broa ...

. 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 alveoli (air sacs)) of the lungs. It concerns alveolar epithelium, pulmon ...

. 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 network or television broadcaster is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay television providers. Until the mid-1 ...

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 , also known as "Osugi-san" by locals, is the world's tallest Japanese Cedar ('' Cryptomeria japonica'') and is said to be over 3000 years old. It is located in Ōtoyo, Kōchi, Japan within the grounds of Yasaka Jinja. General description Sugi n ...

Ōtoyo, Kōchi is a List of towns in Japan, town located in Nagaoka District, Kōchi, Nagaoka District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan in the mountainous district of central Shikoku. The and both flow through Ōtoyo. It is the only municipality in Shikoku where ove ...

. 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 Ōi River, which forms a backdrop to the district. Arashiyama is a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty. Notable t ...

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

. 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's closedown November 30, 2006 as to allow a scheduled renovation of the building. The main exhibits were relocated to the

Shōwa period Shōwa may refer to: * Hirohito (1901–1989), the 124th Emperor of Japan, known posthumously as Emperor Shōwa * Showa Corporation, a Japanese suspension and shock manufacturer, affiliated with the Honda keiretsu Japanese eras * Jōwa (Heian ...

section of the

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

, 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),

(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,

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 voice synthesizer software product. Its signal processing part was developed through a joint research project led by Kenmochi Hideki at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain, in 2000 and was not originally intended to b ...

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 is an actress. She appeared in several of Takeshi Kitano's films, such as '' Hana-bi'', ''Kikujiro'' and '' Dolls''. She won the award for best supporting actress at the 23rd Japan Academy Prize for ''Kikujiro''. Biography In 1976 at a Hideki ...

as Misora. In 2005, also on TBS, Aya Ueto portrayed Misora in ''The Hibari Misora Birth Story'' ().

Question of Korean ancestry

Hibari Misora's ancestry has been a matter of dispute. Prior to her death in 1989, there had been assumptions that she was of

ethnic Korean Koreans ( South Korean: , , North Korean: , ; see names of Korea) are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states: North Korea and South Korea (collectively and simply refer ...

ancestry, and that she and her family held Korean passports. This claim spread around widely. Upon her death, however, author Rō Takenaka and journalist Tsukasa Yoshida launched a thorough investigation into her background, and concluded that Misora was not Korean, but 100% Japanese.

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 the last single recorded by Japanese enka singer Hibari Misora, as she died soon after its release in 1989. It was composed by Akira Mitake, with lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto. It was voted the greatest Japanese song of all time during a national ...

'' (, 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 K ...

'' (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 many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...

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

1950s

(1950s is complete) * ''

Hit Parade A hit parade is a ranked list of the most popular recordings at a given point in time, usually determined either by sales or airplay. The term originated in the 1930s; ''Billboard'' magazine published its first music hit parade on January 4, 1936 ...

'' (ヒットパレード – 1950) * ''

Akogare no Hawaii kōro is a 1950 black-and-white Cinema of Japan, Japanese film directed by Torajiro Saito. Cast * Haruo Oka * Hibari Misora * Sanae Ijita (柴田早苗) * Mitsuko Yoshikawa * Tamae Kiyokawa (清川玉枝) * Achako Hanabishi (:ja:花菱アチャコ, 花 ...

'' (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 was a popular Japanese singing comedian, mostly known by his stage name Enoken (エノケン). A major innovator during his heyday, Enoken's stage shows, radio appearances, and film roles were a major influence within Tokyo theatre before Worl ...

'' (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) * ''

'' (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 The golden bat (''Mimon bennettii'') is a bat species found in Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Ve ...

: 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 is a 1951 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Koji Shima was a Japanese film director, actor, and screenwriter. Career Born as Takehiko Kagoshima in Nagasaki, Shima left for Tokyo after graduating from high school. He was in the firs ...

'' (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 military 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 which toppled the Ise-Heishi branch of the Taira clan, helping his half-brother Yoritomo consol ...

'' (牛若丸 – 1952) * ''

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

'' (二人の瞳) a.k.a. ''Girls Hand in Hand'' US title (1952) * ''

Ringo-en no shōjo is a 1952 black and white Japanese film directed by Koji Shima. The art director was Tomoo Shimogawara.https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429036/fullcredits#cast accessed 6 May 2009 Cast * Hibari Misora as Marumi * Akihiko Katayama * Kokuten K ...

'' (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 , lit. "Madame Company President", is a 1953 Japanese black-and-white musical film directed by Yuzo Kawashima. Cast * Hibari Misora as Madoka Ohara * Ichirō Arishima as Tetsutaro Kaitani * Takiko Egawa as musical actress * Kodayu Ichikawa a ...

'' (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 is a novel by Japanese writer and Nobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata first published in 1926. Plot The narrator, a twenty-year-old student from Tokyo, travels the Izu Peninsula during the last days of the summer holidays, a journey which he ...

'' – 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 Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968, the first Japanese author to receive the award. His works have enjoyed broad international appeal an ...

's story ''

The Dancing Girl of Izu is a novel by Japanese writer and Nobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata first published in 1926. Plot The narrator, a twenty-year-old student from Tokyo, travels the Izu Peninsula during the last days of the summer holidays, a journey which h ...

'' * '' Uta shigure oshidori wakashū'' (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, which was a coastal route that ran from Nihonbashi in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Sanjō Ōhashi in Kyoto.. There were originally 53 government post stations along the Tōkaidō, where traveler ...

" – 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 , English titles including ''Growing Up'' and ''Child's Play'', is a novella by Japanese writer Ichiyō Higuchi, first published in 1895–96. It depicts a group of youths growing up in Shitaya Ryūsenji-chō, Yoshiwara, Meiji era Tokyo's red li ...

'' (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 ''

'' * ''

So Young, So Bright (literally, " Rock, Paper and Scissors Girls") is a 1955 color (Eastmancolor) Japanese musical film, directed by Toshio Sugie. This is the first of the so-called "three girl" (''sannin musume'') series of films produced by Tōhō Studio, which ...

'' (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 is a 1956 black and white Japanese film directed by Nobuo Nakagawa. Cast * Hibari Misora as Maruya, Tomone * Haruhisa Kawada as Akinobu * Senjaku Nakamura * Chieko Naniwa as Okon * Chikage Oogi as Akemi * Shunji Sakai as Heihachi * Kyu Saz ...

) (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 is a 1957 black-and-white cinema of Japan, Japanese film directed by Ryo Hagiwara. Cast * Hibari Misora * Kōji Tsuruta * Akio Kobori (小堀明男) * Machiko Kitagawa (:ja:北川町子, 北川町子) * Shunji Sakai (:ja:堺駿二, 堺駿二) ...

) (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. ...

'' 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 ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

'' (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 were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

'' (Tonosama – Yaji kita) (1960) * ( Oja kissa) (1960) * ''

Sword of Destiny ''Sword of Destiny'' ( pl, Miecz przeznaczenia) is the second published short story collection in Polish fantasy writer Andrzej Sapkowski's ''The Witcher'' series. Although published in 1992, it is officially considered the second entry in the ...

'' ( 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) (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 Musicians from Yokohama People of Shōwa-period Japan People's Honour Award winners Japanese contraltos 20th-century Japanese women singers 20th-century Japanese singers Japanese racehorse owners and breeders