In April of 1987, on the way to a performance in Fukuoka, she suddenly collapsed. Rushed to hospital, she was diagnosed with bilateral femoral necrosis brought on by chronic hepatitis. Until August she was confined to hospital and eventually showed signs of recovery. She commenced recording a new song Midaregami in October, and in 1988 performed at a concert called Fushichou konsaato (Phoenix Concert) at the Tokyo Dome. Against overwhelming pain in her legs, she performed a total of 39 songs while assuring her fans that she had completely recovered. However, on 24 May 1989, having been re-admitted to the Juntendou hospital in Tokyo, she died from interstitial pneumonitis at the age of 52.
In July 1989 after her death, she became the first female recipient of the National Prize of Honour (国民栄誉賞) for her longstanding contributions to the music industry.
In 1993, the Misora Hibari-kan opened in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Its popularity with fans and tourists has endured through to the present.
Her most famous song, "Kawa no nagare no yō ni," (1989) was voted #1 in a 1997 NHK poll of the best Japanese songs of all time.
お夏清十郎
美空ひばり Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
歌を唄えば 散るさくら
幼馴染の 清十郎様に
寄せた情けが エー恋となる
浮世絵すがた 元禄模様
人も見とれる 後影
向う通るは 清十郎様か
水に絵のよな 灯影を映し
揺れてながれる 月夜舟
漕いで下され 清十郎様よ
恋の千鳥も エー啼いて呼ぶ
The lyrics of the song "お夏清十郎" by 美空ひばり describe a scene of unrequited love between the singer and her childhood friend, 清十郎様 (Kiyotaro-sama). The first verse describes a scene where the singer is twirling a flower-patterned parasol and singing a song, causing cherry blossoms to fall around her. She realizes that the feelings of goodwill she has had for 清十郎様 have turned into love. The second verse describes a picture-like scene of 清十郎様 walking down an Edo-period street, with his silhouette being so stunning that even passers-by cannot help but turn to look at him. The singer's eyes follow 清十郎様 and she realizes that they are wearing identical bamboo hats. In the third verse, the singer is in a boat on a moonlit river, with the light of a lantern reflecting on the water like a painting. She is calling out 清十郎様's name, this time with the knowledge that her 鳴き声 (naki-goe, literally "calling voice") echoes like the cry of a 綺羅鳥 (karaksa-dori, or "painted bird").
Line by Line Meaning
花の絵日傘 くるりと廻し
Twirling my painted parasol covered in flowers
歌を唄えば 散るさくら
Cherry blossoms flutter and fall when I sing
幼馴染の 清十郎様に
My childhood friend, Lord Seijuro
寄せた情けが エー恋となる
My deep feelings for him turn into love
浮世絵すがた 元禄模様
I look like a print from the Edo period, in a Genroku style kimono
人も見とれる 後影
Even my shadow leaves an impression on people who see me
向う通るは 清十郎様か
Is that Seijuro walking on the other side of the street?
笠が似ている エー菅の笠
Their hat looks like a sedge hat
水に絵のよな 灯影を映し
The moonlit water reflects a picture-like light
揺れてながれる 月夜舟
A boat rocks and drifts slowly in the moonlight
漕いで下され 清十郎様よ
Seijuro is the one rowing it for me
恋の千鳥も エー啼いて呼ぶ
The sound of my love's voice calls out like a plover's cry
Writer(s): 石本 美由起, 上原 げんと, 石本 美由起, 上原 げんと
Contributed by Bailey Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.