ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti sˈɛvən ʃiː bɪkˌeɪm ðə fˈɜːst fˈɔːɹənɚ sᵻlˈɛktᵻd tə pɑːɹtˈɪsᵻpˌeɪt ɪn jˈuːɾɐkˌaɪ hˈædʒaɪm, ðɪ ɪmpˈɪɹiəl nˈuː jˈɪɹz pˈoʊɪtɹi ɹˈiːdɪŋ ʌv dʒəpˈæn.
In 1957 she became the first foreigner selected to participate in Utakai Hajime, the Imperial New Year's Poetry Reading of Japan.