7 Unbelievable Things About Shin Kyogoku Street! Lost Kids Come Here — The Missing Child Notice Stone at Seiganji Temple

Text and photos by Chen Sala

“Shin Kyogoku-dori” is part of the bustling district that includes Kyoto’s Sanjo, Shijo, and Kawaramachi areas.

The term “Kyogoku,” as the name suggests, refers to the edge of the capital city. When Heian-kyo (the ancient capital of Japan) was established, there were the “Tokyo-goku” and “Seigo-goku.” However, when Heian-kyo began to decline in the 9th century, the western part disappeared due to poor drainage, leaving only the eastern section known as Kyogoku-dori.

But during the major redevelopment of Kyoto by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the late 16th century, he relocated many temples from within Kyoto to Tokyo-goku, which is today’s Teramachi-dori. The surrounding vacant lots then served as space for temples and numerous shops. By the time of the Meiji Restoration, due to the administrative division reforms initiated by Kyoto Prefecture, the area south of the street became known as “Shinmachi-dori,” while the northern part became “Shin Kyogoku-dori.”

▲ Front of Shin Kyogoku

However, this bustling street is home to seven unbelievable stories. Today, Sala will tell you about the “Missing Child Guide Stone” at Seiganji Temple.

▲ Front of the Missing Child Guide Stone

If you know what an XYZ message board is, you’re probably from the same generation as Sala XDD (high five)

Nowadays, when people go to department stores, supermarkets, or even year-end holiday markets and temple fairs in streets and alleys, they often hear announcements about lost children. But back in ancient times, without mobile phones, loudspeakers, or broadcasting systems, what did people do when a child went missing?

This “stone” on the left side of Seiganji Temple’s main gate offers a solution. It’s called a “Missing Child Guide Stone” (迷子道標碑). “道標” means “road sign” or “guide,” and “迷子” means “lost child.” So, as the name implies, this stone served as an ancient “lost and found service.”

▲ This is another kind of guidepost, located outside Doshisha University’s Shinmachi Campus

On the right side of the stone is engraved “教ゆる方” (guidance), which provided directional help, while the left side is engraved “尋ぬる方” (search), serving as a place where parents could seek help identifying or inquiring about their missing children. However, at Seiganji Temple today, only the front and the right side are visible—the left side is blocked by a wall.

▲ 教ゆる方 (Guidance)

▲ 尋ぬる方 (Search) — not easy to photograph because it’s sandwiched against a wall

This practice flourished from the mid-Edo period to the early Meiji era. The Edo period was a relatively peaceful and prosperous time in Japanese history, known for the flourishing of commoner culture. Many of Japan’s current festivals and lifestyle habits originated during the Edo period. With more activities came a higher chance of losing items or children, making missing kids a major issue. As a result, such search services were widely set up in front of temples. The stone at Seiganji Temple was erected in the 15th year of the Meiji era (1883).

Aside from helping find missing people, this stone, located in a busy area, often had notices posted about lost items and searches. Over time, it became another form of information exchange — for example, if you wrote “XYZ,” a strange uncle might come looking for you (just kidding). Because of this unexpected function, the stone is also called the “Unexpected Matchmaker Stone.” The “matchmaker” here refers to someone who acts as an intermediary.

Currently, besides the one at Seiganji on Shin Kyogoku-dori, there are two other similar stones remaining in Kyoto. Want to guess where they are? (Answer at the end of the article) Seiganji is an ancient temple even older than Kyoto itself. At the time of Heian-kyo’s establishment, it served as one of the faith centers for the citizens of Kyoto, along with Kaidan-in, Inaba-dō, and Rokkaku-dō. We’ll talk more about its stories next time.

Answer: Apart from Seiganji, the other two existing stones in Kyoto are located at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine and Yasaka Shrine.

Seiganji Temple
Address: 453 Shin Kyogoku Higashi-cho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, Japan
Transportation: Get off at Shijo-Kawaramachi bus stop, then walk 5 minutes
Visiting Hours: 09:00–17:00

Chen Sala · Japanese Food & Travel Information
A corporate worker by day, Sala is a bookworm immersed in Japanese history and culture after hours. She dislikes being called a “Kyoto expert” and prefers to think of herself as a lover of Kyoto’s cultural and historical heritage. Commonly known as Sala, she also goes by the nicknames “Sala Hime” and “Plump Raccoon.”
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