Himeji Castle in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a heavily guarded fortress in the Harima region, challenging players to infiltrate its defenses, eliminate five Samurai Daisho, and claim a Legendary Chest. This guide covers enemy locations, stealth strategies, and key rewards to help you navigate and conquer the castle efficiently.
How to Locate Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle is located in the southwestern corner of Harima, nestled between Aga and the Kanki Burned Fields. The nearest fast-travel points, aside from the castle’s own viewpoint, are Saifukuji Temple to the south and Himeji Kakurega to the southeast.
Note: Enter from the southwestern side, where scaffolding to the left of the main entrance near the bridge provides an easy way inside.
How to Find and Assassinate All Five Samurai Daisho
How to Find the First Samurai Daisho
Enter the southern section of Himeji Castle, where you’ll encounter a bustling courtyard with civilians and a few guards. Use the rooftops to move north toward a large entrance leading to the main northern area. Take out the guard on the left, then climb the scaffolding to reach the northwestern courtyard, perched high on a cliff.
Continue to the northernmost wall and jump across the wire to the eastern courtyard, where you’ll find the first Samurai Daisho. You can eliminate the patrolling guard while he’s behind the Daisho or take them both down with a double assassination. Either way, it’s best to avoid engaging the nearby group of enemies the Daisho is watching over.
How to Find the Second Samurai Daisho
From here, head straight to the perimeter and follow the wall north, moving east and upward as you scale another wall into the next section of the northern garden.
Use the rooftops to navigate the lower half of the perimeter, then look southeast to spot a separate area near the largest towers—this is where the second Samurai Daisho awaits. This Daisho stands alone on a red bridge, making for an easy target. Watch for nearby guards, then swiftly move behind him to execute the assassination.
How to Find the Third Samurai Daisho
From there, head slightly southeast to reach the eastern courtyard, where a small pond marks the location of the third Samurai Daisho.
To get there from the second Daisho, traverse the rooftops and use the large towers to jump across to the next section. In this area, you’ll find the third Daisho alone in his courtyard, with no one nearby. Jump down and take your time executing the assassination.
How to Find the Fourth Samurai Daisho
With the third Daisho eliminated, shift your focus to the fourth Samurai Daisho, located in the nearby large tower—possibly the same one where you accessed the viewpoint. Drop through the trapdoor in the roof to take him by surprise, securing a clear path to the Legendary Chest for later.
How to Find the Fifth Samurai Daisho
With four Samurai Daisho eliminated, only one remains. The final Daisho is hidden in the central southern section of Himeji Castle, near the icon at the center. Head to the eastern half of the southeastern courtyard, where the Daisho stands alone, with one sitting guard and another patrolling nearby.
Wait on the rooftop of the house the patrolling guard passes in front of, then take him out when the moment is right. With the path clear, eliminate the fifth Samurai Daisho and finish off the last guard to secure the area.
Rewards You Will Get Inside the Himeji Castle
It required time, patience, and careful strategy, but you’ve successfully eliminated all five Samurai Daisho in Himeji Castle. Now, you can collect the side loot, keys, and the Legendary Chest waiting inside.
Legendary Chest
The Legendary Chest is located in the main tower in the castle’s northeastern area. Head to the top floor to find the chest, which contains:
- 3,000 XP
- An Engraving
- The Defense Master Clothing for Yasuke
If you haven’t already scaled the tower, there’s still one last reward waiting for you.
Side Loot
Himeji Castle holds plenty of loot, including keys, locked doors, and scattered chests containing crafting materials, mon, and Hideout cosmetics.
- Key: In the eastern courtyard where you defeated the third Samurai Daisho, a key rests on a table in the corner near some wood.
- First Door: About 50 feet east of the courtyard where you found the key, a locked door is guarded by two distracted enemies.
- Second Door: In the northern section near the large tower, a black locked door is protected by two patrolling guards in the courtyard and another two inside a small house containing the door.
Additional Loot
- Your first piece of side loot is in a chest inside the building with a crowd gathered outside in the southern courtyard.
- In the far western section of the castle, on the hill, a long building holds another chest. Eliminate the guard outside and the two people inside to claim it. A red chest is also located at the top of the nearby tower in the northern part of this area.
- In the eastern corner of Himeji Castle, inside a building in the courtyard where you defeated the third Samurai Daisho, you’ll find another red chest.
- In the central area below the tower housing the Legendary Chest and fourth Daisho, a small chest is tucked away in the outside courtyard.
- In the southeastern courtyard, near where you eliminated the fifth Daisho, there’s another red chest.
- The basement of the main tower contains seven resource piles to smuggle, one chest, and two smaller resource piles.
Synchronization Viewpoint
As you move from the second to the third Daisho, you’ll pass a large tower in the northeastern part of Himeji Castle.
Climb to the top to unlock a Synchronization Viewpoint and gain access to a new fast-travel location.
