29 Facts About Hibari Misora

Hibari Misora was a Japanese singer, actress and cultural icon.

Hibari Misora received a Medal of Honor 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, which was conferred posthumously for giving the public hope and encouragement after World War II.

Hibari Misora was born Kazue Kato on May 29,1937 in Isogo-ku, Yokohama, Japan.

Hibari Misora's father, Masukichi Kato, was a fishmonger and her mother, Kimie Kato, a housewife.

In 1946, at the age of nine, Kazue Hibari Misora entered the NHK Nodo Jiman singing competition.

Hibari Misora considered her to be a child prodigy with the courage, understanding, and emotional maturity of an adult.

Kazue began her recording career in 1949 at the age of 12, now with the name Hibari Misora, which means "lark in the beautiful sky," and starred in the film Nodojiman-kyo jidai.

Hibari Misora subsequently recorded "Kanashiki kuchibue", which was featured on a radio program and was a national hit.

In June 1950, Hibari Misora was one of the first entertainers from Japan to visit the United States after the war.

In 1956, Hibari Misora was briefly engaged to musician Mitsuru Ono.

On January 13,1957, Hibari Misora was attacked and injured with hydrochloric acid at Asakusa International Theater.

Between 1949 and 1971, Hibari Misora appeared in 8 to 12 films per year, usually with top billing.

Nevertheless, Hibari Misora eventually did make peace with NHK and appeared in the 1979 Kohaku as a special guest.

Hibari Misora appeared occasionally on other NHK programs, but felt she no longer had a reason to perform on Kohaku.

In 1978, Hibari Misora adopted her seven-year-old nephew, Tetsuya's son Kazuya Kato.

In 1980, on the 35th year anniversary of her debut, Hibari Misora performed a recital at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

Hibari Misora's mother passed away in 1981 and a year later her best friend, fellow singer and actress Chiemi Eri, died.

Hibari Misora was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was diagnosed with avascular necrosis brought on by chronic hepatitis.

Hibari Misora commenced recording a new song in October, and in April 1988 performed at her comeback concert at Tokyo Dome.

On February 7,1989, Hibari Misora held her final concert in Kokura.

Hibari Misora was later hospitalized at Juntendo University Hospital in Tokyo with interstitial pneumonitis.

Hibari Misora's death was widely mourned throughout Japan and many felt the Showa period had truly come to an end.

In 1947, a 10-year old Hibari Misora had been involved in a serious bus collision in Otoyo.

Hibari Misora's father was so upset, he demanded that she stopped singing.

In 1994, the Hibari Misora Museum opened in Arashiyama, Kyoto.

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.

The song is still prominently performed by numerous artists and orchestras as a tribute to Hibari Misora, including notable renditions by The Three Tenors, Teresa Teng, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan and Twelve Girls Band.

On November 11,2012, a memorial concert for Hibari Misora was held at the Tokyo Dome.

In September 2019, Hibari Misora's voice became focused on after "Arekara" was used for a version of the Vocaloid engine known as "VOCALOID:AI", which tried to recreate her singing vocals.