Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji Story Walkthrough

This guide will show you the story progression order and provide information on how to complete all 28 story quests introduced with Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji.

What’s in the Claws of Awaji

After defeating the Shinbakufu, Naoe and Yasuke had to set out on their own personal journeys. When all was said and done in the base game, there were some loose ends that had to be tied up. The Claws of Awaji expansion is here to wrap up those loose ends!

While Yasuke managed to get some closure by killing Duarte de Melo, Naoe was left hanging when she found out her mother might be alive. Hattori Hanzo agreed to help Naoe find her mother after all the trouble he caused to her family.

The Claws of Awaji expansion primarily focuses on Naoe’s quest to find her mother. You can learn more on how to acquire and unlock the Claws of Awaji expansion with this guide.

There are around 28 story quests that the Claws of Awaji expansion adds. You’ll gain approximately 10 hours of gameplay, not including side content such as the new Castles, Knowledge Point activities, and Legendary Gear to find.

News from Hattori Hanzo

After defeating the Shinbakufu, completing Naoe’s, Yasuke’s, and Junjiro’s personal stories, a contact of Hattori Hanzo will appear at the Hideout. She brings word that a puppet show in Settsu might provide information on Tsuyu’s whereabouts.

The Puppet Show

As Naoe, meet Junjiro at Nishinomiya Shrine in northwest Izumi Settsu. You will be unable to complete this quest as Yasuke as this is a Naoe-specific quest.

Go to the north where you’ll find people gathering around the Puppet Master at the base of some stairs. Watch the show to begin a cutscene and transition into the next portion of the quest.

This next section plays as a 2D platformer where you play as a Beautiful Maiden, the Maiden’s Champion, and the Greedy Shinobi. The Puppet Master narrates the story as you make progress in this scene.

After the story ends, Naoe has the choice to go to Awaji. When you are ready, accept the choice and you’ll enter a loading screen to start the Claws of Awaji content proper.

The Greedi Shinobi minigame Walkthrough

A Shinobi on Awaji

When you reach Sumoto, you can ask the civilians in the area for information on the captured shinobi. Go southwest of the first viewpoint you run into and you’ll find two carpenters near the river. Hide in the hay pile and eavesdrop on them.

Go east and into the Samurai Residence to find a report inside the house on the eastern side of the residence. This provides your lead for the shinobi’s whereabouts and starts the next quest.

A Shinobi on Awaji: Full Walkthrough

A Reunion

Take the southwest trail out of Sumoto towards the castle, The hills are too steep to climb so you’ll need to work your way around to the south entrance and sneak into the Tenshu from there.

When you reach the Tenshu, climb to the top and sneak your way downstairs until you find the holding cell of the captured shinobi.

Not Alone in this World

As Yasuke, you must get into Sumoto Castle to rescue Naoe and Tsuyu. You can fight your way in or sneak through a hidden entrance in the back of Sumoto castle.

Sneaking inside is far more efficient, so look for the path to the castle walls near a twisted tree. You’ll find an entrance blocked off by a wooden box that only Yasuke can move. Move the box and get into the castle.

Prison Break

This quest has no map so you’ll need to rely on the quest marker on your compass. As Naoe, acquire her gear then secure the area by killing off any soldiers with a marker over their head. Regroup with Yasuke and get through the castle.

When Naoe begins to lower the platform to make an exist, you must protect her as Yasuke. It’ll be good to have a bow or teppo set as your secondary weapon.

Prioritize enemies with a Naoe symbol over their head as they’re targeting her. Continue fighting off Yukari’s forces until the platform is lowered.

After getting across the gap with the platform, Yasuke runs into the Maiden’s champion, Imagawa Tomeji. Defeat him but be careful as his strength allows him to swing his kanabo with ease.

In the final stretch, avoid the red circle son the floor to avoid getting shot by fire arrows. Once you reach the horses you’re home free.

Way of the Bo

Naoe must best a Bo Master to earn his trust so he’ll reveal the location of a key needed to access the Regalia. This acts as a tutorial for using the Bo Staff. Defeat the Bo Master’s Disciple and the Bo Master to progress.

A Long Lost Key

After earning the Bo Master’s trust, you’ll be able to find the key south of Sumoto near a viewpoint. Retrieve Tsuyu’s key to begin your hunt for the Regalia.

The Regalia

With the Bo Master’s key in hand, you make your way to Myoshoji Temple to get the Regalia. Find the waterfall at the shrine and go behind it to find the Regalia.

A Sour Defeat

After the events of The Regalia, talk to Tsuyu at the Sumoto Hideout for some cinematic exposition. This will provide some backstory for Tomeji, Nowaki, and Yasuhira.

After this point, you’ll be deterred from using scouts to find objectives. Yasuhira’s spies will make scouted areas have increased Sanzoku Ippa activity. This is indicated by red zones within the map.

Hunting the Hunter

A leather goods merchant likely has information on Nowaki. Talk to him in at his store located in the southern end of Yura.

Origin of a Killer

With the intel from the leather goods worker, your next destination is a Hunters’ Lodge at Fukura Bay. A man named Shiro know Nowaki as a child and could provide some good insight. He’s a short trip east of the viewpoint in the area.

Home of a Killer

After discovering Nowaki’s home village, you must make your way towards Eshima Coast in north Awaji. Look for a little girl sitting and playing with a toy to learn about an oni that lives in a nearby old house.

Turning the Tables

After finding a way to prevent Nowaki was running away, Naoe must wait at Sannomiya Shrine to confront Nowaki.

This will lead to one of the most challenging boss fights in the game. Nowaki is incredibly stealthy and perceptive. Naoe needs to sneak up on Nowaki without getting caught to attack her. You can’t rely on your Eagle Vision for this encounter and instead must use your sense of hearing.

How to defeat Nowaki: Boss Guide

Dismantling One By One

Imagawa Tomeji resides in Sumoto Castle but is surrounded by 10 of his Captains, each is formidable in their own right. You must weaken his defenses by killing the captains outside of the castle so he’s forced to send replacements.

The Captains do not have set spawn points and patrol the various roads on Awaji. You can lure them out by causing a fight against soldiers. If successful, you’ll hear a horn and get an on-screen prompt that the Captain is alerted.

Another way to learn about Captain locations is to aid civilians being harassed by soldiers. However this isn’t the most reliable method as they might choose to share the location of a side activity instead.

If you’re tracking a Captain with a revealed location, be quick to reach them. It’s possible that as you’re nearing one, they might teleport far away as their positions change over time. Here is a map of hot spots that you’ll often find the Captains at:

Dismantling One By One: Full Walkthrough

A Garrison to Dismantle

If you’ve drawn out all of Tomeji’s Captains and assassinated them, you’ll be able to fight Tomeji as Naoe or Yasuke in a one on one duel. Meet up with Konatsu west of Sumoto Castle to start the fight. Be sure you have refilled on ammo, tools, and rations before proceeding.

You can also choose to spice up this fight by now drawing out any of Tomeji’s Captains in the Dismantling One by One quest. One of his captains will fight you, then two, then three, until all of them attack you at once. This finishes off with Tomeji joining the fight when his captains are defeated.

It’s a difficult fight that is much better suited for Yasuke as he has more access to health restoration from gear, abilities, and a greater ration count.

The Contact

Hattori Hanzo is joining the hunt for the Spymaster, Yasuhira. Meet with him in Sumoto and he’ll tell you of a contact of his that can provide information on Yasuhira.

The Spy At Rest

After meeting with Hanzo’s contact, you’ll need to investigate Yasuhira’s house in Sumoto’s Samurai Quarters to the southwest.

When you clear the area, you’ll find various notes and clues about Yasuhira and run into the Spymaster. Defeat him and choose to kill him or spare him, then report back to Hanzo.

To Catch a Spy

When you report to Hanzo, you both come to the conclusion that it couldn’t have been that easy to find the Spymaster. Something fishy and you must investigate the meeting spot where you met the “contact”.

The Visitor

Return to the meeting spot where you talked to Hanzo’s “contact” and enter the house through the door on the right. After searching inside the house, you’ll find a note for Hanzo.

Your next destination is the town of Yura to the southeast. You need to locate a woman wearing a black kosode. She meets with Yasuhira, so you’ll need to follow her to gain information. She’ll be at the northeast corner of Yura Minato Shrine.

As you follow the Visitor, you’ll also need to find the real Spymaster’s house in Yura. It’s near the eastern docks and southwest of the Military Harbor.

The Way of Kosode

With a Black Mask in hand, you’ll need to find a black kosode to go with it to infiltrate Yasuhira’s meeting. You can find one within a chest at a bandit camp on Eshima Coast.

A Snake in the Shrine

When you are ready to confront the Spymaster, meet Hanzo at the kakurega south of Izanagi Shrine. You can confront him by attacking the meeting, or infiltrating it by wearing your newly acquired disguise.

When you make it to the shrine, you’ll find Yasuhira to the west. He’ll be the only one wearing a hat. Before he’ll talk to you, he asks that you find him some information.

Go to the back of the shrine and look for two spies talking. Eavesdrop on them to discover that they know Tsuyu’s location in Sumoto. Return to Yasuhira and select “Tsuyu has been spotted”. From there, Yasuhira will speak to Naoe privately, allowing you to finish the quest.

Alone At Last

Return to Tsuyu at the Sumoto Kakurega. This is a very short quest as it’s a cutscene where Naoe, Yasuke, and Tsuyu prepare a plan to take on Yukari. You’ll need to find people to fight against her, poison her forces with a sedative, and destroy her weapon shipments.

Tipping the Balance

The Ashigaru (peasant soldiers) owe an inordinately large debt to Yukari. Help them by getting a hold of their debt records. You can meet one of them west of Sumoto at a farm.

To release the ashigaru of their debt, you’ll need to steal Yukari’s debt records in the Samurai Residence. It’ll be found in the exact same spot you found the report that led you to Tsuyu in the castle. When retrieved, return to the Ashigaru to complete the quest.

The Bad Sleep Well

To weaken Yukari’s forces, you’ll need to acquire sedatives from an apothecary in Sumoto. You’ll find one south of Sumoto Docks, talk to the woman working there and she’ll give you the sedatives.

After acquiring the sedatives, go to Kamaguchi Village on Eshima Coast. Look for the salt piles along the shoreline and lace them with the sedatives to complete the quest.

Silencing the Teppo

Talk to Konatsu south of the Military Harbor in Yura. She’ll tell you about a teppo shipment has arrived and not so subtlety hints that you show blow them up.

There are 4 teppo crates you’ll need to destroy in the Military Harbor. If you’re playing as Naoe, you can draw nearby soldiers to the crates with a bell then blowing up the shipment to clear them out.

The Final Assault

When you’re ready, report to Tsuyu at the Sumoto Kakurega. Naoe will have the choice to use her black kosode disguise to sneak into Yukari’s castle, or sneak in with her own gear.

Her task will be taking down the barricade that is blocking entrance to the castle. Make your selection to be loaded into the castle as Naoe.

Gather oil from a shed near the barricade to the south and in a tower in the area where the Guardian is talking to the soldiers. Return to the barricade when you’re ready and set it aflame.

You’ll swap to Yasuke where he, Hanzo, and the Ashigaru are raiding the castle. Simply fight your way in, going upstairs wherever you can to eventually reach the Tenshu.

The tenshu will be in a terrible state as it’s been torn apart, When you climb inside, the interior will possess numerous tripwires. Crouch under them to reach the ladder, refill on rations, then climb up the ladder to face Yukari.

Yukari is a fierce opponent with the agility of Naoe and the ferocity of Yasuke, she is not to be taken lightly. Step back when she spins her naginata around with the Hurricane Stance.

After losing around a quarter of her health, she’ll swap to dual wielding katanas. If wind surrounds her and she begins to spin her swords around, back away until she stops. She has the power of anime on her side and this attack can quickly shred you from full to zero.

Trouble with the Regalia

Yukari and her forces have been defeated, but Tsuyu hasn’t returned with the Regalia. Naoe must seek her out and make sure she and the Regalia are safe. Head north and examine the body leaning outside the window.

Climb outside and make your way to the beach below to find Tsuyu surrounded by soldiers. Help Tsuyu by defeating any remaining soldiers that come to the area.

After defeating the soldiers, a cutscene will start. Fortunately, Tsuyu didn’t go all “Al Mualim” on us with the Regalia. You’ll get the choice to return all the Regalia to the Emperor now, or do it later.

Return the Regalia to be loaded into the mainland for a cutscene. Congratulations! You have completed the Claws of Awaji Story!

Be sure to fully explore Awaji further! There’s Legendary Gear to collect, new shrines and other knowledge point activities to complete, and of course Legendary Chests to find.