Kate Bush’s 1978 Japan Tour: First Promotional Trip and Performances
In June 1978, a 19-year-old Kate Bush embarked on her first and only promotional trip to Japan, celebrating the success of her debut album ‘The Kick Inside’ and its hit single ‘Wuthering Heights.’ During this two-week visit, she performed live at the 7th Tokyo Music Festival at the Nippon Budokan, where she performed ‘Moving’ with a local Japanese band in front of 11,000 attendees and a television audience of 30-35 million. She shared the Silver Prize with the American group The Emotions. Bush also appeared on Japanese television, notably on the program ‘Sound in S,’ performing covers of Beatles songs such as ‘She’s Leaving Home,’ ‘The Long and Winding Road,’ and ‘Let It Be,’ along with other material from her album, including a dance-oriented version of ‘Them Heavy People.’ Additionally, she filmed a Seiko watches commercial and print campaign in Japan, using ‘Them Heavy People’ in the ad. A Japan-only single of that track, backed with ‘The Man with the Child in His Eyes,’ featured imagery from the shoot. A limited 7-inch of ‘Moving’ was also linked to the campaign. This trip marked a significant moment in Bush’s early career, highlighting her international appeal and musical versatility during her formative years as a performer.
