ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi Prefecture--American singer Cyndi Lauper brought smiles to children in this tsunami-hit city on March 5.
ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi Prefecture--American singer Cyndi Lauper brought smiles to children in this tsunami-hit city on March 5.
Lauper, 58, appeared in the gymnasium of Okaido Elementary School, where 350 students were waiting, and sang songs for them.
The 1980s pop princess, whose biggest hit was the upbeat anthem “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” then handed over 10 cherry tree seedlings to the students.
Saying trees are a symbol of resurrection, she urged the children to stay positive and cheerful, telling them that one day they would be able to view the trees’ cherry blossoms.
Tsunami spawned by the Great East Japan Earthquake a year ago transformed areas of Ishinomaki into a wasteland.
Lauper also visited Japan on the day of the disaster.
At that time, she went ahead with her Japan tour despite cancellations of many other acts, saying she wanted to give power to the Japanese people through music at a difficult time.
During this visit, Lauper will perform in Tokyo’s Shibuya district on March 11, the anniversary of the disaster that claimed 20,000 lives. The concert will be broadcast live at no charge to movie theaters in three prefectures affected by the disaster.