Hunted across the shadowy streets of Kyoto, the twisted legacy of the Takahashi clan awaits your reckoning in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Unravel the secrets of the notorious Twisted Tree family, track down each elusive member, and claim powerful rewards that will turn the tide in your favor. Whether you choose stealth or all-out confrontation, this guide reveals every location and the spoils that come with dismantling one of the city’s most dangerous dynasties.
You’ll meet a man named Ujimasa who can help you infiltrate Yamazaki Castle. First, though, you’ll have to deal with the Takahashi clan, a family of ronin causing problems around Kyoto.
Our Assassin’s Creed Shadows guide will tell you how to find all members of The Twisted Tree for “The Twisted Tree” and tell you the rewards you get for each.
How to start ’The Twisted Tree’ in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
To start “The Twisted Tree” quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you first need to begin the “Inside Help” mission, which is part of the main questline involving “The Fool” Shinbakufu. This quest unlocks after completing the initial mission “The Bad Brother” and meeting Ise Sadatame at Byodoin Temple. Once “Inside Help” is active, head to Kiyomizudera Temple in Yamashiro, where you will find Ujimasa disguised as a tour guide near the southern entrance. Talking to him about the Takahashi clan will initiate the “The Twisted Tree” assassination questline, tasking you with tracking down and dealing with the rogue samurai family causing trouble in Kyoto.
To start “The Twisted Tree,” you actually have to start a different quest first. Under The Fool on the Shinbakufu Objectives board, one of the quests is called, “Inside Help.” That’s your starting point.
“Inside Help” will send you to Kiyomizudera Temple to the southwest of the Hills of Meeting (and southeast of Kyoto) in central Yamashiro to find a man named Ujimasa.
You’ll find him at the southern entrance to the temple, pretending to be a tour guide. Choose whichever of the waters you would like to drink (the choice isn’t important) and he’ll tell you about the Takahashi clan, a family of rogue samurai harassing people in and around Kyoto. He’ll also tell you where to start hunting them.
Each member of The Twisted Tree has their own quest find them and another to assassinate them. Two of the Takahashi clan can be spared. We’ll walk you through all the quests and point out who you can spare below.
How to find Takahashi clan’s locations
To find the Takahashi clan members in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you need to engage in the questline starting with “Help Needed,” where you speak to merchant Yamana Kihei in central Kyoto near Nijo Palace to learn about the clan’s history. Following this, you undertake several side quests like “Guard Assignments,” “Family Drama,” “Dropped Intel,” and “Guard Duty,” which guide you to various locations across Kyoto, such as the Asukai Clan Domain, Nijo Palace, Honnoji Temple, and the secret garden west of Honnoji Temple. Each member of the Takahashi clan is found in distinct areas, with some grouped together, like Takahashi Taro and Saburo at the Asukai Clan Domain, while others like Takahashi Shiro are at Nijo Palace. Completing these quests and exploring these key locations will reveal all seven clan members and allow you to confront them.
There’s a bit of work (and five side quests) to do so you can find the exact locations of the seven Takahashi members. We’ll get into more detail about each quest below, but at a glance, the quests are listed below, with corresponding locations on the map above:
- “Help Needed”
- “Guard Assignments”
- “Family Drama”
- “Dropped Intel”
- “Guard Duty”
You’ll start with “Help Needed,” a quest under Takahashi Taro. You’ll find the merchant you need to talk to in central Kyoto, west of Nijo Palace and near an umbrella cart.
He’s about a block west of the Nijo Palace viewpoint and is standing, as promised, next to some colorful umbrellas. Speak to Yamana Kihei and he’ll tell you about the Takahashi clan and its twisted (family) tree. This will also fill out your Objectives board, but the locations of each target will still be vague. He’ll point you to the Takahashi family guard.
Your next stop is part of “Guard Assignments” under Takahashi Jiro. You’re heading to eastern Kyoto, east of Honnoji Temple (and west of Honpoji Temple), and looking for someone near a sake crate cart.
You’ll find the guard along the main road just a little southeast of the Jesuit Residences. He doesn’t talk much, but you’ll pick up the Family Guard Note from his corpse. The note mentions that the two youngest won’t be interested in avenging their father’s death. That’ll come in handy later.
Before we get to the stabbing, there’s one more side quest to take on. This one is under Takahashi “The Oni” Shiro and is named “Family Drama.” You’re heading to north(east)ern Kyoto, at the north entrance to the Imperial Palace.
You’ll spot the guards just outside the gate. One will mention an incident near Nijo Palace and that he dropped a note containing a new patrol path (Takahashi Jiro’s location) near the baths on the west side of town. Another side quest!
The next side quest we need for preparations is also under Takahashi Shiro, this one aptly named “Dropped Intel.” You’re heading to central Kyoto, along the southwest corner of Nijo Palace’s moat, and you’re looking for a broken fan cart.
As you ride along the moat, you’ll spot the smashed cart, a merchant crying nearby, and a guard standing there not doing anything helpful (quelle surprise!). You can ignore them, though, and just pick up the Outburst Area Note from behind the woman.
The last (we promise) side quest is “Guard Duty” under Takahashi Jiro. This time, you’re heading for the Furo of Kyoto (the bath) north of the Kano Painting School in central Kyoto. It’s about two blocks to the northwest of where you are now.
You’ll find the New Patrol Route Note in the back room. Now, on to the stabbing part!
Who should you spare in The Twisted Tree?
In Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ “The Twisted Tree” quest, you have the option to spare two members of the Takahashi family: Goro and Ichi-Hime. Unlike their siblings, who will seek revenge for their father Takahashi Inoshichi’s death, Goro and Ichi-Hime have kinder dispositions and will be freed once their father is eliminated. To spare them, simply approach and converse with them instead of attacking. Sparing or killing these two does not affect the rewards you receive, so the choice is largely up to your role-playing preference. If you kill Inoshichi first, Goro and Ichi-Hime will be automatically spared, but you must then face the other four siblings together, making the fight more challenging.
If you check the Objectives board now that it’s completely filled in, you’ll find notes that Goro and Ichi-Hime will be free if their father dies, while the others will all avenge their father’s death. That’s your answer for who to spare – don’t kill the ones who won’t want to kill you. Spare Goro and Ichi-Hime.
Sparing them is as simple as just talking to them instead of stabbing them. If you do happen to kill them (you can just bump into some of them on the street before you pick up the quest), that’s fine. The rewards are the same and it doesn’t change the outcome of the quest.
All Twisted Tree locations and rewards
The Twisted Tree quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows involves tracking down and dealing with seven members of the Takahashi clan scattered across Kyoto in the Yamashiro region. Players can find each target individually or confront the patriarch, Takahashi Inoshichi, first to force the siblings to gather. Each member offers unique rewards, including rare weapons, engravings, and valuable XP. For example, sparing or killing Ichi-Hime and Goro grants 2000 XP, Mastery Points, and rare gear like the Daydreamer’s Grip bow and Raijan’s Refusal Teppo. Defeating Inoshichi yields the legendary Kitsune’s Trickery amulet and significant XP. The quest also unlocks special skills for both protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke, making it a rewarding challenge that blends stealth and combat options.
Once you complete all of the various side quests and information gathering, you’ll have the locations of all seven members of The Twisted Tree on your map. The locations won’t be exact, so you’ll still have to look with the left trigger and watch for the blue dots.
Takahashi Saburo and Taro location and reward
You’ll find Taro and Saburo just a couple blocks to the north of the Furo of Kyoto where you found the last note. It’s pretty hard to take them out stealthily, so it could be a good time to play as Yasuke. Just try to get Taro first since he can call in reinforcements.
- Saburo will drop the Letter from Saburo’s Body, the Saburo’s Deference katana, and the Tools on Kill engraving.
- Taro drops the Letter from Taro’s Body, the Burden of Legacy long katana and the Critical Damage with Melee engraving.
Takahashi Ichi-Hime location and reward
You’ll find Ichi-Hime a bit to the south. She’s in the Umenomiya Taisha Shrine on (just outside of) the west side of town. (There are also a lot of cats there if you’re looking to liven up your Hideout.) If you want to keep her alive, approach her and then hold the left trigger to look at her. You’ll get a prompt to spare or kill her. You’ll get the same rewards either way.
- Ichi-Hime drops the Ichi-Hime’s Letter quest item, the Daydreamer’s Grip bow, and the Adrenaline on Afflicted Enemies engraving.
Inoshichi is the next to the south, but he’s the clan patriarch. Since there are still two Takahashi out there who will swear vengence, it’s better to skip him for now.
Takahashi Jiro location and reward
Instead, head to the Southern Kyoto Kakurega, and you’ll find Jiro just to the northeast, basically right outside the door.
- Jiro drops the Letter from Jiro’s Body, the Final Word of the Guardian teppo, and the Armor Damage on Multiple Enemies and Improved Assassinate engravings.
Takahashi Shiro location and reward
Up in the north half of Kyoto, you’ll find Shiro in Nijo Palace. He’ll be right in front of the tall building with the viewpoint on top. If you come in from the sides, there’s a pole where you can get (the start of) an air assassination.
- Shiro drops the standard Letter from Shiro’s Body, the The Untamable One katana, and the Armor Piercing on Consecutive Kills engraving.
Takahashi Goro location and reward
While you’re in the north of Kyoto, head up to the Shokokuji Temple just a couple blocks northeast of the Northern Kyoto Kakurega. You’re looking for another of the Takahashi clan that you can save, Goro, there. You’ll find him in the northwest corner of the ruins. When you spot him, hold the look trigger again to spare him (or kill him if that’s more your speed).
- Goro gets you the Raijin’s Refusal teppo and the Damage after Headshot engraving. (His letter is a little to the south, just outside of the temple ruins’ walls.)
Takahashi Inoshichi location and reward
With the rest of the family handled, you can go take out Takahashi Inoshichi on the west side of town. He’s inside of an unnamed guarded area. Goro’s note (if you find it) mentions that there’s a secret entrance to his father’s house – a trapdoor accessible from the garden. Inoshici is pretty hearty, so a single assassination stab probably won’t kill him. Try to take out all of his guards before you take him on so he doesn’t get any backup.
- Killing Inoshichi gets you the Letter from Inoshici’s Body, the Kitsune’s Trickery amulet, and the Health for Samurai Mastery engraving.
How to finish the ’Inside Help’ quest
To finish the “Inside Help” quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, first travel to Kiyomizudera Temple in the Yamashiro region, located in the southwestern Hills of Meeting near Kyoto. There, you will find Ujimasa, a former samurai who can assist you in infiltrating Yamazaki Castle. After speaking with him and choosing any of the blessing options he offers, you must then assassinate all seven members of the Twisted Tree family, a corrupted samurai clan terrorizing the area. Once all targets are eliminated, return to Ujimasa at Kiyomizudera Temple to complete the quest and unlock further progress in the storyline.
With all of that finally done, you can return to Ujimasa in Kiyomizudera Temple (to the east) to complete the quest you started way back at the beginning of all of this. He’ll agree to help you take out The Fool and give you Yamazaki Castle Gate Key.
What hidden rewards await in the twisted world of Kyoto’s Twisted Tree targets
In the twisted world of Kyoto’s Twisted Tree targets in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, players unlock a trove of hidden rewards that enhance both power and playstyle. Each target yields 2000 XP and two Mastery Points, alongside rare and unique gear such as the Daydreamer’s Grip bow, Raijan’s Refusal Teppo, Saburo’s Deference katana, and the Final Word of the Guardian Teppo. Engravings that boost abilities-like Adrenaline on Afflicted Enemies, Damage after Headshot, and Armor Piercing on Consecutive Kills-also drop from these foes. The ultimate prize comes from the clan patriarch, Takahashi Inoshichi: the legendary Kitsune’s Trickery amulet, which increases health by 1% per Samurai Mastery Point invested, plus the Health for Samurai Mastery engraving. Sparing or killing certain siblings yields the same rewards, allowing players to tailor their approach without penalty. Taking down Inoshichi first triggers a high-stakes showdown but grants all sibling loot at once, making the challenge worthwhile for those seeking maximum gain.
What is the significance of the rare gear drops from Twisted Tree targets
The rare gear drops from the Twisted Tree targets in Assassin’s Creed Shadows hold significant value for players by providing unique weapons and powerful engravings that enhance Yasuke’s combat effectiveness and customization options. Each target drops distinctive rare or uncommon weapons-such as katanas, teppos, and bows-that are not only visually unique but also come with special engravings like Armor Piercing on Consecutive Kills, Tools on Kill, and Critical Damage with Melee Weapon, which can be slotted into other gear at the forge to boost various combat abilities. These engravings improve offensive and defensive capabilities, allowing players to tailor their fighting style. The most notable gear is the Kitsune’s Trickery amulet, a legendary item dropped by the clan patriarch Takahashi Inoshichi, which increases health by 1% per Samurai Mastery Point invested, making it a crucial upgrade for survivability. While the rare and uncommon gear is valuable, the legendary amulet stands out as a key reward that significantly benefits Yasuke’s overall performance in the game. Additionally, players gain substantial XP and Mastery Points from each target, further enhancing progression. The choice to spare or kill some siblings does not affect the acquisition of these rewards, giving players flexibility in how they approach the clan. Overall, these gear drops are important for both narrative progression and gameplay enhancement, providing meaningful incentives to dismantle the Twisted Tree organization.
