Onimusha: Way of the Sword Side Missions Guide

Find and track the two side-quest groups

Mysteries become available after What Lurks in the Shadows. Open Curious Cases to review their Observations. Use the butterfly marker to locate a starting point, then follow the case through to its final interaction.

For a Chance Encounter, find the notebook marker and speak with the character there. If a quest is missing, compare your completed story missions with its unlock stage below. A location can be accessible before every activity in it has opened.

All 8 Mysteries of Kyoto

• Plan your Kyoto exploration and return stops

All 18 Chance Encounters by unlock stage

Each row groups the activities that open at the same stage. This is an availability list: choose the order within a group to fit your route.

Choose a reward that helps your build

Start with a reward you can equip and use on your current run. The later unlock stage of an activity matters more than where it appears in a reward ranking.

• See every quest charm reward and its enhancement requirements
• Choose a build direction for your current stage

When an activity is not available yet

Advance the current main story objective, return to the relevant area and check the quest log again. The appearance of an activity depends on progression, so a reward list should not be treated as an early-game route that can be completed immediately.

After finishing an encounter, complete the final conversation or objective and check the reward screen. Move on once the log marks the activity complete; defeating a nearby enemy does not necessarily close every step of the quest.

• Balance story progress, upgrades and side content

Plan hidden-area and combat detours separately

A hidden chest, puzzle or enemy encounter is a different objective from completing a named quest. Keep a short note of the area, the obstacle and the reward you are pursuing, so an unfinished exploration stop does not get confused with a missing mission.

Before a detour, review your recovery options and the ability needed to enter. If the obstruction is a puzzle, use its focused guide. If an enemy is stopping you, check the boss or combat page before spending more resources on repeated attempts. Return to the mission objective after collecting the reward.

• Hidden Areas: Armament chests and exploration stops
• Genma Lab: find the laboratory route
• Puzzle Guide: solve the obstruction on your route
• Boss Fight Guide with Strategies: prepare for the encounter

Finish the activities you want before the finale

The Clash at Rendaino warns you before entering the final sequence. Keep a manual save there, finish the side quests tied to your preferred charms, and visit Enma’s Hall to enhance and equip the rewards.

If you have already finished the game, choose Continue for cleanup on that save. New Game Plus restarts side-quest progress, while your acquired charms and their enhancements carry forward.

• Ending & Postgame: final mission, Continue and New Game Plus

Keep rewards and completion goals separate

For a story clear, prioritize activities that give you something you will use. For full completion, work through both quest lists and then review the remaining collection and upgrade goals in the Achievement Guide.

The Charm Locations guide lists the 15 quest charm rewards by mission. That makes it the quicker starting point when you are looking for one missing charm rather than every unfinished activity.