Upon completing all of the Yarikawa story missions, you will be able to fully explore the Yarikawa Stronghold. At the camp where the Mongols were stationed, you will find a Mongol Artifact. There are also three Records located in the Yarikawa Stronghold, two in the main area (Rationing in Yarikawa Stronghold and To My Brother) and one in the keep (Report to Steward Ujimasa) at the top of the area. In addition, only after completing the three Yarikawa story missions will the Yarikawa Bamboo Strike appear on the side of the keep.
Just north of the keep in Yarikawa Stronghold, which is actually outside of the place, is the Morning Glory Hot Spring. Follow the road that connects to the Hot Spring to the north and when you reach the fork, you should get a pop-up for the Black Dye Merchant. Ignore the road and go straight over the hill, where you should be able to spot a Sashimono Banner. Continue going in the same direction and look for a cave in the side of the hill, which is where the Black Dye Merchant is hiding. If you purchased a skin from the White Dye Merchant and get one from this merchant, then you will unlock the Monochrome Masters trophy.
(1 of 2) Look for this decorated cave entrance
Look for this decorated cave entrance (left), where you’ll find the Black Dye Merchant inside (right)
Find the road to the west of the Black Dye Merchant and you should find a peasant on it, who will begin the A Debt Repaid Side Tale. Return to the Black Dye Merchant and head west from him to a small little village, where you can speak to another peasant that begins The Ghost and the Demon Sensei Side Tale for Sensei Ishikawa. From the little village spot where you began Ishikawa’s tale, cross the river to your west and head south to locate what seems to be an abandoned Mongol camp. Here, you can find a Mongol Artifact, so loot it and head northwest.
You will want to equip your Traveler’s Attire for this next collectible, as it is cleverly hidden. Northwest of the Mongol Artifact is a bamboo forest and nestled next to a bundle of bamboo trees will be a Sashimono Banner. Continue northwest from there and look for a disheveled shack on top of a hill. Climb the roof of that shack to find the Riverbed Straw Hat. Venture south a little bit and on the road that’ll lead you straight to Kushi Temple will be a Fox’s Den. Return to it after praying at the Inari Shrine and enter Kushi Temple. Note that first arriving there will put you right in the middle of the following Side Tale, The Birth of Suffering.
Without the Traveler’s Attire, this banner can be very hard to find
Once you complete that Side Tale, look for the tallest building at Kushi Temple and use the grapple points to reach the very top, where you will discover the Plum Blossom Headband. Other than that piece of vanity gear, you will find three other Side Tales here, which are as follows:
Fast travel back to the Black Dye Merchant and begin moving north, while following the eastern coast. Eventually, you will reach a cemetery, so take out any enemies, then look for the Singing Cricket. Look around the cemetery a little more and you should spot a Side Tale, called The Burden of Theft. Finish that and head northwest to the Koshimizu Farmstead.
Koshimizu Farmstead¶
Your goal this time around is to Defend the Hostages which includes killing all of the Mongols here along with rescuing three hostages. Due to the size of the farmstead, there are a number of ways to approach the area. Coming down from the north side of the farmstead, you’ll immediately come across a hostage in a house with Mongols stationed just outside so head around the perimeter of the house dispatching the Mongols there before heading inside to deal with the others and rescue the first hostage.
The second hostage can be found just a little south to the previous one and this one contains two archers perched either side of him so be sure to target them first before rushing in to protect the hostage against any other nearby Mongols. The final hostage can be found just around the corner of this previous one and you’ll only need to deal with four Mongols, all that can easily be assassinated if you’re careful.
Your final task is to take the remaining Mongols out in the garden, there’s a large group of them here and if you can, a Stand-off is useful here before using Black Powder Bombs and Sticky Bombs to take groups out at a time. Aside from the usual rewards for clearing this Outpost, you’ll also obtain the Key of Koshimizu needed for the Unbreakable Gosaku Mythic Tale.
(1 of 2) Approach from the north to find the first hostage
Approach from the north to find the first hostage (left), this hostage has two archers either side of them. (right)
After clearing Koshimizu Farmstead, head straight east and look for the path marked with a torii gate. You’re basically looking for the path that leads down to the beach, where one of the Straw Hats will be waiting for you, letting you do the Duel of Crashing Waves. He isn’t really any different than previous duels with the Straw Hats. Once you’re finished with him, look for some little rocky island in the distance and swim out to it, where you will find a Sashimono Banner. Return to the beach and look for the other path marked by a torii gate.
As you go along this path, you will run into some frog statues, three of which are right next to one another. It might be a little hard to see, but there is a Hidden Altar here. Follow the rest of the path to eventually reach the Cloud Ridge Shrine. Just south of Koshimizu Farmstead is another Side Tale, The Thief. Fast travel back to Koshimizu Farmstead after finishing that Side Tale, and cross the nearby bridge. Not too far southwest of the bridge, you will run into another Side Tale, Flesh and Stone.
Venture southwest from where you picked up Flesh and Stone and you should happen upon the Bamboo Forest Hot Spring. A little west of that will be a Pillar of Honor, which nets you the Gold Koi Sword Kit and slightly northwest-ish of that will be another Side Tale, titled Peace for the Divine. South of there will be a slightly open area with a bunch of makeshift graves, and it is here you will find a Sashimono Banner. Fast travel to Hissing Creek Crossing and cross the river to the north, where you will encounter the Okada Farmstead.
Okada Farmstead¶
As with most farmsteads, there are a number of ways to approach them but consider heading in from the north to easily locate the first hostage in need of saving. The hostage is out in the open and there are archers to deal with first so handle them with the Longbow and then sneak in to assassinate as many as you can. The archers here will use Explosive arrows so be sure to dodge roll whenever you see the marker.
The second hostage can be found to the south of the farmstead and this one is a little trickier. The hostage is out in the open once more with a Mongol standing over them while another two Mongols will patrol the surrounding area. Additonally, there are more Mongols stationed in the houses here so if you alert them, expect a large battle. Your final task is to take care of the Mongols in the garden to the north of the first hostage. You’ll have to contend with dogs here too but the Mongols are spread out enough that you can take them out using Stealth if you wish.
(1 of 2) The Mongols at the southern hostage are spread out
The Mongols at the southern hostage are spread out (left), beware of a dog patrolling in the garden. (right)
After liberating the farmstead, look north of it to find a Fox’s Den. Journey to the southwest from the Fox’s Den, where you are looking for a camp that isn’t actually an outpost. Here, you will find a Mongol Artifact, so loot it and follow the road straight south to happen upon another Fox’s Den. Not too far south of that will be the Yoshinaka Hot Spring. Return to the Fox’s Den and go northwest to find another outpost, the Forest’s Edge Camp.
Forest’s Edge Camp¶
The objective once again is to clear the area of all Mongol threat and the best direction to approach this from is the northern side of the camp, here you’ll find a lone Mongol standing guard that is easy pickings. Once he’s taken care of, you should find the largest group of Mongols nearby, this is a good opportunity to use items like Black Powder Bombs or Sticky Bombs to hit them all at once. Alternatively, sneak up on one of them and chain up to three Assassinations. This is a rather simple camp and there are no Brutes to deal with either.
You can strike the majority of the camp with a well aimed Black Powder Bomb.
West of the above outpost is the western coastline, so head in that direction and look for the little piece of land slightly south that is jutting out from the mainland. It is here that you will find a Pillar of Honor, with you obtaining the Hunting Bear Sword Kit. North of the Pillar of Honor is the Hazy Cliff Shrine, which is relatively simple, except for one part near the end. When you get to a large gap, with bamboo sticking out of both sides of the broken bridge, look down and to the right. Jump off in that direction to get a grapple prompt. After praying at the shrine, return to the main portion of land and follow the coastline north. If you follow it well enough, you will naturally run into the Otsuna Haiku.
Continue following the coastline to the north, until you get to the waterfall. On the rocks above the waterfall is a Sashimono Banner, so grab it then look for a place you can climb down nearby. At the bottom is another Straw Hat, with the showdown being the Duel Under Falling Water. He’s pretty much the same as the other Straw Hats, so there’s nothing to really talk about with him. Climb back up the way you came down, then go northeast and cross the bridge. You should be right at the Kishibe Village, but you will be going here as part of the Ghosts from the Past story mission, so that will be on hold for then.
If you follow the road heading west, you will eventually reach Lucky Genzo’s Inn. Upon arriving, there will be Ronin here, so take them all out, then look inside to find a woman who will officially begin A Final Request Side Tale. This one will bring you way up to the northern edge of Toyotama, so if you’re doing it now, return to Genzo’s Inn after completing it. There will also be a Mongol Artifact at the inn, so grab it while you’re there. Not too far north of Genzo’s Inn will be another Fox’s Den and northwest of that will be the Omi Monastery.
When you get to this spot, you need to jump off and grapple to this point
Climb and grapple your way to the very top of the tall building here to find the Band of the Second Son. Mount Omi is nearby and at the top is another collectible, so find your way to the top to grab a Sashimono Banner. At Omi Monastery, you will find Masako, so start The Family Man Side Tale here. North of Omi Monastery, along the road that’s on the cliff/coast, you will run into another Fox’s Den. Continue following the coast to the north and when you get to Sibling Bay, head onto that stretch of land to find a Pillar of Honor.
Southeast of the Pillar of Honor is Omi Village, so it’s a perfect time to continue the story with Ghosts from the Past.
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