Mariko Miyagi (宮城 㠾りå ) (March 21, 1927 â€" March 21, 2020)
was a Japanese actress, singer, and advocate for children with
disabilities. She founded the Kusunoki Gakuen, a school for disabled
children.Miyagi was born Mariko Honme in Tokyo, Japan. She was the
older of two siblings. Her family moved to Osaka when she was in the
third grade because of her father's work. When she graduated from
elementary school the family underwent a series of misfortunes,
including her mother's death. Miyagi and her brother entered the
Yoshimoto Kogyo production company and became singers.Miyagi's first
stage appearance was in October 1944. After the war, she continued
performing at several theaters before releasing her first record in
1950 with Teichiku Records. Her first hit was "Anta Honto ni Sugoi wa
ne", which was released by Victor Records. She continued releasing
hits like "Gado-shita no Kutsumigaki" throughout the fifties, and
appeared on the Kohaku Uta Gassen several times.While preparing for a
role in which she would play a child with cerebral palsy, Miyagi
visited a facility for disabled children. Inspired by this, Miyagi
started the Nemunoki Gakuen, a school for children with disabilities,
in Omaezaki, Shizuoka in 1968. It was the first school of its kind,
built when education for disabled children wasn't yet mandatory. The
school's curriculum especially focused on music and the arts. It later
moved to Kakegawa, Shizuoka. Miyagi directed and produced a
documentary about the school called "Nemunoki no Uta".
was a Japanese actress, singer, and advocate for children with
disabilities. She founded the Kusunoki Gakuen, a school for disabled
children.Miyagi was born Mariko Honme in Tokyo, Japan. She was the
older of two siblings. Her family moved to Osaka when she was in the
third grade because of her father's work. When she graduated from
elementary school the family underwent a series of misfortunes,
including her mother's death. Miyagi and her brother entered the
Yoshimoto Kogyo production company and became singers.Miyagi's first
stage appearance was in October 1944. After the war, she continued
performing at several theaters before releasing her first record in
1950 with Teichiku Records. Her first hit was "Anta Honto ni Sugoi wa
ne", which was released by Victor Records. She continued releasing
hits like "Gado-shita no Kutsumigaki" throughout the fifties, and
appeared on the Kohaku Uta Gassen several times.While preparing for a
role in which she would play a child with cerebral palsy, Miyagi
visited a facility for disabled children. Inspired by this, Miyagi
started the Nemunoki Gakuen, a school for children with disabilities,
in Omaezaki, Shizuoka in 1968. It was the first school of its kind,
built when education for disabled children wasn't yet mandatory. The
school's curriculum especially focused on music and the arts. It later
moved to Kakegawa, Shizuoka. Miyagi directed and produced a
documentary about the school called "Nemunoki no Uta".
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