www.polygon.com
Kofuns are dungeons in Assassins Creed Shadows that hide many secrets that is, if secrets means legendary gear.These short dungeons tend to be poorly lit byzantine mazes, but powerful items await those capable of completing their challenges. Each kofun is designed to be completed by a specific character. You may have to parkour as Naoe or push heavy things as Yasuke to make your way through a kofun. Since there arent level requirements for kofuns, completing them is a shortcut to some of high-powered armor and weapons usually reserved for the late-game.In this Assassins Creed Shadows guide, well show you where to find all kofun locations and list all Kofun rewards you receive by completing them.All kofun locations in Assassins Creed ShadowsThere are a total of 10 kofuns in Asssassins Creed Shadows. With at least one in most provinces in the game, finding all of them requires that you have progressed the main story missions to some extent before tackling the higher-level areas.Heres a list of all kofuns in Assassins Creed Shadows and the provinces youll find them in:Old Kofun (Izumi Settsu)Makino Kurumazuka Kofun (Izumi Settsu)Ancient Tomb of Nanjo (Yamashiro)Megalithic Vault (Yamato)Ishibutai Kofun (Yamato)Azuchi Hyotanyama Kofun (Omi)Tagaki Kofun (Harima)Veiled Tumulus (Wakasa)Chasuriyama Kofun (Tamba)Shimosato Kofun (Kii)In case you want to try your luck and go by yourself even when under the recommend level for a province, try your best to avoid conflicts. Assassins Creed Shadows doesnt prevent you from entering the areas. Just be sure to have unlocked Yasuke before, because you will have to play him in order to complete some of these.Old Kofun (Izumi Settsu)Located in Izumi Settsu, the first province you explore in the game, Old Kofun is probably the first kofun you will find if youre thoroughly exploring the map. You can find it in the Izumi Coast region, east of Sakai.Once you get the exact location, you will find an opening on the ground with stairs taking you to the dungeon blocked. Dont overthink. The real entrance to Old Kofun is located on the left side of the hill.Youll need to play as Naoe to complete Old Kofun. If you arent in a hurry to tackle this one, dont worry. Naoes quest eventually takes you to this kofun.For completing it, youll receive the Amaterasus Blessing legendary trinket.Makino Kurumazuka Kofun (Izumi Settsu)Youll find Makino Kurumazuka Kofun on the north side of Izumi Settsu. Look for it around the Yawata Plains area.Youll need to play as Yasuke to complete Makino Kurumazuka Kofun. There are some puzzles involving carrying heavy pots of gunpowder and then blowing them up, making it a more complex dungeon than some other kofuns. See our fullMakino Kurumazuka Kofun walkthrough for more details.Finding the final prize in this kofun is totally worth it, though. You gain the Blush of the Earth legendary bow for Yasuke.Ancient Tomb of Nanjo (Yamashiro)Once you get to the Yamashiro region, you may want to look for the Ancient Tomb of Nanjo kofun for Naoe. It is located in an area called Eagles Nest, southwest of Kyoto, right near where youll arriev in the regionYoull need to play as Naoe to complete the Ancient Tomb of Nanjo; it tests her climbing skills and features a labyrinthian layout. See our Ancient Tomb of Nanjo walkthrough for more details.Once you get to the final room in the dungeon, you can claim the Yukimitsus Revenge legendary tanto, which is a fantastic upgrade to Naoes arsenal.Megalithic Vault (Yamato)In the northwest region of Yamato, youll find the Megalithic Vault. The entrance is located west of Todaiji.Youll need to play as Yasuke to complete Megalithic Vault, and as with many other kofuns designed for Yasuke, youll need to clear your path by pushing large objects. Dont forget that Yasuke can open doors by rushing toward them. It will be an important skill to traverse this dungeon.In the Megalithic Vault, to compensate for Yasukes inability to parkour, you must improvise in order to reach higher places or cross chasms spanned by broken bridges.The prize for completing this kofun is the beautiful legendary armor Elegant Samurai Outfit legendary armor.Ishibutai Kofun (Yamato)While youre still in Yamato, you should look for the Ishibutai Kofun, where you find a unique piece of equipment for Naoe. Ishibutai Kofun is South of Takatori, a region more to the south of Yamato.Youll need to play as Naoe to complete Ishibutai Kofun, as a big part of this dungeon involves reaching the next area by using your grappling hook. You need to time your swings correctly to jump at the right moment and boost yourself to the next platform.After swinging all the way to the highest part of the dungeon, you find the chest with the Masakados Vengeance legendary trinket.Azuchi Hyotanyama Kofun (Omi)Theres only one kofun in Omi: the Azuchi Hyotanyama Kofun. You can find it on the southeast quadrant of the province, west of Azuchi.Youll need to play as Yasuke to complete Azuchi Hyotanyama Kofun and will find all kinds of challenges in this kofun. There are enemies to be killed, walls to be exploded, and platforms to be aligned in order to allow Yasuke to reach the new segments of the dungeon.As a reward for completing the Azuchi Hyotanyama Kofun, youll receive the Heartspiller legendary bow.Tagaki Kofun (Harima)Inside the Takagi Otsuka Fort in Harima, you find the entrance to the Tagaki Kofun being guarded by a group of soldiers. The fort can be found east of Kanki Burned Fields, but if you have already explored the area, you can also reach the place from Kakogawa Estuary.You need to complete Tagaki Kofun while playing as Yasuke. Although you can simply ignore the soldiers in the fort, there are some of them inside the dungeon that you will need to face. Inside, you also need to position explosives and shoot them to open the path for Yasuke.After defeating a last group of enemies, you can finally claim the Deaths Bloom legendary teppo.Veiled Tumulus (Wakasa)Closer to a massive river which cuts the whole region of Wakasa, you can find the Veiled Tumulus kofun. More specifically, it is in an area east of Obama.Youll need to play as Naoe to complete Veiled Tumulus. Youll find the place already invaded by some bandits, so you must use act furtively to take them all out. You can also explode some barrels by throwing shurikens at them. Its just out of character.When you climb to the final room, you can loot the legendary chest that holds the Stone Heart kusarigama.Chasuriyama Kofun (Tamba)At the highest hill northwest of the Chasuriyama region in Tamba, you can find the Chasuriyama Kofun. If youre planning on unlocking all allies in Assassins Creed Shadows, you wont miss this one, since you must complete it during Yagoros quest.You need to play as Naoe to complete Chasuriyama Kofun. And while the layout of this dungeon is less complicated than others, there is a lot to be found in it. In some rooms, you find letters and more information about the past of the League, and the woman who saved Yagoro.Reaching the kofuns final room and opening the chest rewards you with the Scarlet Fate legendary tanto.Shimosato Kofun (Kii)Shimasato Kofun is located in Kii, one of the last areas youll visit in Assassins Creed Shadows. Head southeast of Kumano Sanzan to find its entrance.Youll need to play as Yasuke to complete Shimosato Kofun. Different from the other Yasuke-centred kofuns, this one requires our favorite samurai to use his lungs, hold his breath, and dive into unknown waters to find the path to the final treasure. It doesnt mean you wont have to push and carry things around though.If you complete Shimasato Kofun, you get the Riddle of Steel legendary naginata.For more Assassins Creed Shadows guides, see our running lists of Lost Pages, Kuji-kiri, and armor locations. Or see our full Assassins Creed Shadows walkthrough, and our guides on how to get all companions and romance options.
