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.
Furusato No Michi
美空ひばり Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
北国の果て
うらうらと 山肌に
抱かれて 夢を見た
あの頃の想い出 あぁ
今いずこに
りんごのふるさとは
北国の果て
りんごのふるさとは
雪国の果て
晴れた日は 晴れた日は
船がゆく 日本海
海のいろは 碧く あぁ
夢は遠く
りんごのふるさとは
雪国の果て
あぁ津軽の海よ山よ
いつの日もなつかし
津軽のふるさと
These lyrics are from the song "Tsugaru no Furusato" by Misora Hibari, which is about the singer's nostalgia for her childhood home in the Tsugaru region of northern Japan. The first verse describes her memories of dreaming while surrounded by the mountains of her hometown, where apple orchards were a common sight. She wonders where those memories have gone and reflects on how far away her hometown is located.
The second verse mentions that Tsugaru is located in a snowy and cold region, where the clear days reveal ships sailing on the Sea of Japan. She expresses her sadness that her dreams seem so far away from her now, as if they were lost in the vast expanse of the sea. The final lines express her longing and fond memories of her hometown, both the mountains and sea, which will always hold a special place in her heart.
Overall, the song conveys a deep sense of nostalgia and longing for a simpler time and place in the singer's life. It captures the beauty and harshness of the natural environment in northern Japan and the deep connection that people feel to their hometowns and childhood memories.
Line by Line Meaning
りんごのふるさとは
My hometown of apples
北国の果て
Located at the northern end of the country
うらうらと 山肌に
Nestled against the mountainside
抱かれて 夢を見た
Held tightly, dreaming
あの頃の想い出 あぁ
Ah, the memories of that time
今いずこに
Where are they now?
雪国の果て
In the snowy land at the end of the country
晴れた日は 晴れた日は
On clear days, on clear days
船がゆく 日本海
Ships sailing on the Sea of Japan
海のいろは 碧く あぁ
The colors of the sea are so beautiful, ah
夢は遠く
Dreams are far away
あぁ津軽の海よ山よ
Oh, Tsugaru's sea and mountains
いつの日もなつかし
Always so nostalgic
津軽のふるさと
My hometown of Tsugaru
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Masao Yoneyama
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind