Whoever has been to Kyoto must have crossed the Kamo River because this river flows through tourist areas such as shopping districts, dining areas, public parks, and beautiful photo spots. Taking a leisurely walk along the Kamo River is something you should definitely do when visiting Kyoto, and this place is also suitable for dating.

After visiting Kyoto, I met Japanese people who said that Kyoto is a place with many eerie and frightening stories because it’s an old city with a history of numerous battles. Especially the Kamo River, the main river of Kyoto, has seen many bodies…

Knowing that such beautiful places have eerie stories, I couldn’t resist but try to find information about the Kamo River, and I found many interesting things.

Let’s start with “Teramachi Street,” which is a famous shopping district in Kyoto, full of shops and temples. It derives its name from “tera,” which means temple. However, in the past, this street was called “Higashikokku (東京極).” “Higashikokku” means east and represents the easternmost boundary of the Heian period (794-1185). Kyoto during the Heian period was called “Heiankyo,” and its easternmost boundary was this street.

Apart from being a boundary line, “Higashikokku” was also considered a boundary between the human world and the world of demons. In the Heian period, Kyoto was believed to be full of demons because many people died violently, and it was believed that their vengeful spirits turned into demons.

Imagine a city full of terrifying demons. However, the imperial capital area, “Heiankyo,” was well-protected, with shrines and temples built to exorcise vengeful spirits. Abe no Seimei, the most powerful Onmyoji in Japanese history, was responsible for exorcising evil spirits and protecting the imperial capital.

The boundary line of Heiankyo thus became the boundary between the human world and the world of demons.

The eastern boundary line is the Higashikokku Street, as mentioned earlier. Outside Higashikokku Street was considered the “demon world” (Makai), which includes the area around the Kamo River. It was notorious for being filled with demons and was feared by people of that era.

The Kamo River, within the demon world territory, became a place of execution, where criminals’ heads were cut off and bodies were left.

During the Heian period, near the Kamo River, there was an execution ground called “Sanjo Kawara.”

The famous bandit-hero of the 16th century, Goemon Ishikawa, was executed at Sanjo Kawara. Goemon was revered by the villagers because he robbed the rich and distributed the spoils to the poor. However, one day he attempted to assassinate Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a prominent samurai who unified Japan, resulting in his capture and public execution by boiling, along with his son, in front of the populace.

Later, Hideyoshi’s grandson, Toyotomi Hidetsugu, also met the same fate at Sanjo Kawara after being accused of rebellion.

Many other people were also executed along the banks of the Kamo River, such as Christians who were tied to crosses and burned alive.

After entering the Meiji era and relocating the capital to Tokyo, a new road was built near the Kamo River called Shinkyogoku (New Kyogoku). “Shin” means new, and “Kyogoku” means the edge of Heiankyo.

Shinkyogoku is adjacent to Teramachi Street, and the demon world has turned into another famous shopping street in modern Kyoto.

As for the western boundary line of Heiankyo, it is the Nishikyogoku Street.

“Nishi” means west, and currently, it is the Nishikyogoku Station.