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Locationmajor

Fort Imai

Fort Imai is a large Mongol fortress in western Toyotama, positioned north of Umugi Cove and south-west of Lonely Forest Clearing.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • Fort Imai is in Toyotama’s Umugi prefecture, north of Umugi Cove and south-west of Lonely Forest Clearing.
  • It is a Mongol Territory, not a friendly settlement, town or permanent civilian hub.
  • Liberation requires four main objectives defeat the Mongols, eliminate the general, release three falcons and recover four banners.
  • The fort contains a Mongol artefact, one Record and four Sashimono Banners.
  • The local liberation reward is two Gold, a Technique Point and a moderate Legend increase.
  • Fort Imai is also reused as the setting for the Legends Survival map The Shadows of War, although that mode is a separate continuity and activity format from the single-player territory.

About this guide

Scope: Base game content on Tsushima, including the single-player open world. The separate Ghost of Tsushima: Legends Survival map The Shadows of War is noted where relevant, but its encounter layout and objectives are not treated as part of the main-game Fort Imai.

Overview

Fort Imai is a large Mongol fortress in western Toyotama, positioned north of Umugi Cove and south-west of Lonely Forest Clearing. It is one of the region’s more substantial Mongol Territories, combining a lower approach camp, a fortified main compound, watch positions, barracks, a dojo and several collectible placements. The location is especially notable because it is larger and more heavily defended than many ordinary Toyotama outposts, with Mongol soldiers supported by Straw Hat ronin and attack dogs.

In the base game, Fort Imai is cleared through the standard Mongol Territory liberation objectives: defeat the occupying force, kill the war-camp general, release three captive falcons and recover four Sashimono Banners. Completing the territory awards a moderate Legend increase, a Technique Point and two Gold, as well as unlocking the Charm of Toxic Demise through the regional liberation reward structure.

The fort also contains a Mongol artefact, a Record and four Sashimono Banners. Unlike a purely combat-focused camp, Fort Imai rewards a careful sweep of its perimeter and interior buildings. Several collectibles are easy to overlook if Jin simply follows the objective markers and leaves after killing the general.

Location and boundaries

Fort Imai occupies a fortified compound in western Toyotama. Its practical boundary is the hostile territory surrounding the walls and the lower camp at the southern approach. The fort should not be expanded to include Umugi Cove, Ichi’s Inn, Moss Light Inn or the neighbouring roads. Those are separate locations, even though they are close enough to form a natural travel route.

The most reliable regional description places Fort Imai north of Umugi Cove. Other map guides place it south-west of Lonely Forest Clearing, with Moss Light Inn further to the south.

The fort itself can be divided into the following useful subareas:

Southern approach camp

The lower approach is a smaller camp outside the main walls. It contains enemies, a large yurt and access to an elevated position overlooking the fort. The yurt contains the local Mongol artefact, identified in walkthrough material as the Chinese Vase.

This area is the safest starting point for both stealth and direct combat. It gives Jin time to remove isolated guards before entering the more crowded central compound.

Main fort compound

The principal enclosure contains the majority of the garrison. The compound includes buildings, open courtyards, defensive platforms and paths leading towards the dojo and barracks. The walls restrict movement, but there are openings and climbable approaches that allow Jin to enter without using the main gate.

Dojo and central buildings

The dojo is an important interior landmark. A Sashimono Banner is placed inside it, and the war-camp general is associated with this part of the fort. The Record found in Fort Imai is also described as being in the building directly ahead after entering through the front entrance.

Barracks

Two barracks on the right-hand side beyond the dojo contain additional banners. These buildings are easy to miss during a fast assault because they sit away from the central route through the fort.

Perimeter and towers

The outer edge of the fort has towers, walls and additional banner positions. The fort’s four territory banners are distributed around the settlement rather than being stacked in one room. A regional banner guide describes the four Fort Imai banners as being found around the four corners of the fort.

Access and nearby connections

Fort Imai is accessible during Act 2 once Jin can freely explore Toyotama. It is not normally reached through a dedicated story gate, although nearby Tales and regional travel can bring the player close to it.

Routes to Fort Imai

From Umugi Cove

From Moss Light Inn

From Ichi’s Inn

A walkthrough route for Yuna’s Tale describes travelling south from Ichi’s Inn, crossing back over a bridge and taking the eastern path towards Fort Imai. This is a useful approach if the player reaches the area while following Yuna-related content.

From Lonely Forest Clearing

Travel south-west from Lonely Forest Clearing. The two territories are close enough to combine in a western Toyotama clearing route, but they remain separate Mongol Territories with separate liberation rewards and objectives.

Nearby named locations

The last three are neighbouring regional points rather than subareas of Fort Imai. Hissing Creek Crossing, in particular, is a separate outpost and should not be included in Fort Imai’s territory boundary.

Routes to Fort Imai

  1. 01
    Leave Umugi Cove through its northern or north-eastern route.
  2. 02
    Follow the road towards the countryside north of the cove.
  3. 03
    Continue towards the Mongol Territory marker for Fort Imai.
  4. 04
    Approach from the south to reach the lower camp before the main fort.

Routes to Fort Imai

  1. 01
    Travel north from the inn.
  2. 02
    Follow the road towards Fort Imai.
  3. 03
    The fort lies beyond the surrounding fields and woodland.

Nearby named locations

Residents, factions and security

Fort Imai has no permanent civilian population, merchant, armourer or blacksmith. Before liberation it is a military occupation site controlled by the Mongols. The garrison includes ordinary Mongol soldiers, a war-camp general, dogs and Straw Hat ronin.

The ronin presence is significant because they are more dangerous than many ordinary shield or sword soldiers. They can pressure Jin in close combat and make a direct assault harder, especially if the fort’s Mongol defenders begin surrounding him. One guide specifically highlights the inclusion of ronin as a major difficulty in this outpost.

Verified faction and enemy entries

The exact enemy composition can vary with story progression, difficulty and combat approach. A detailed walkthrough describes a large garrison including the general, Straw Hats and dogs, but enemy counts should not be treated as a universal fixed value for every playthrough or mode.

Fort Imai liberation

Objectives

The four-objective structure is confirmed by Toyotama territory maps and camp guides.

Rewards

The Charm of Toxic Demise causes Wind Chimes to release poisonous vapours when used. It is a persistent single-player charm reward rather than a temporary fort bonus.

Objectives

ObjectiveRequirement
Defeat the MongolsClear the hostile force from the territory
Eliminate the war-camp generalFind and kill the leader
Release the falconsFree three captive falcons
Recover Sashimono BannersCollect four banners

Rewards

RewardNotes
Legend increaseModerate increase
Technique PointAwarded on liberation
GoldTwo Gold
Charm of Toxic DemiseAssociated with liberating Fort Imai

Suggested stealth route

The fort is large enough that a controlled perimeter sweep is generally safer than entering through the front gate and fighting every enemy at once.

Suggested stealth route: steps

  1. 01
    Start in the southern lower camp. Remove nearby guards quietly.
  2. 02
    Search the large yurt. Collect the Chinese Vase Mongol artefact before moving into the fort.
  3. 03
    Climb towards the nearby tower or elevated position. This provides a view of patrol routes and the central compound.
  4. 04
    Release the nearest falcon. Look for the cages in the outer and inner camp areas rather than assuming all three are at the entrance.
  5. 05
    Enter through an opening or climbable section of wall. Avoid committing to the gate unless you want a direct fight.
  6. 06
    Prioritise archers and ronin. Archers can disrupt stealth, while ronin are dangerous if the alarm is raised.
  7. 07
    Move towards the dojo. The general is associated with this area, but patrol patterns can change depending on how the fort is approached.
  8. 08
    Collect the banner in the dojo and search the nearby building.
  9. 09
    Check both right-hand barracks. Each contains a further banner according to the detailed walkthrough.
  10. 10
    Circle the perimeter before leaving. The fourth banner and remaining falcon can be missed if the player only searches the centre.
  11. 11
    Confirm that all four objectives are complete. The territory does not count as fully liberated until every required objective is finished.

Direct assault route

A direct assault is viable, but the fort’s size makes it easier for enemies to attack from several directions.

The lower camp is also a useful place to draw enemies into a confined approach. However, this can become dangerous if dogs, ronin and spear soldiers arrive together.

Collectibles and named entries

Sashimono Banners

Fort Imai contains four Sashimono Banners. They are the four banners associated with the liberation objective. One is in or around the dojo, two are in the first and second barracks on the right beyond the dojo, and the remaining banner is placed elsewhere around the fort’s perimeter or approach.

There is a numbering complication in external guides. Some lists number the four banners awarded by the Fort Imai liberation as Banners 19–22, while other Toyotama lists number open-world banner entries separately. These are not contradictory locations. They reflect different catalogue groupings, so the local total of four is the important gameplay fact.

Directory

The guides consulted do not provide a consistent descriptive name for each individual banner beyond its collection number. They should therefore be identified by placement rather than by invented titles.

Mongol artefact

The lower approach camp contains a Mongol artefact identified as a Chinese Vase. It is in the large yurt outside the principal fort. Search the yurt before entering the walls, as it is easy to bypass during a direct approach.

Directory

Record

Fort Imai contains one Record. It is placed in the building directly ahead when entering through the front entrance, and is also described in collection guides as the Fort Imai Record.

A separate walkthrough identifies this as Conversations with the Khan 8, although external numbering and naming systems can differ between guide databases. The safe in-game method is to check the Record entry in the Collections menu after collecting it.

Directory

These two labels refer to the same local Record entry in the sources consulted, not two separate Records.

Collectible checklist

PowerPyx’s general collectible guidance states that the game’s collectibles are not missable and can be collected in free roam after the story. That applies to Fort Imai’s Records, artefact and banners.

Missions and activities connected with the area

Fort Imai is primarily a standalone Mongol Territory activity rather than the permanent home of a Tale. However, the surrounding western Toyotama area is connected with Yuna’s story.

A walkthrough for the region places The Tale of Yuna near the bridge west of Fort Imai and lists other Yuna-related Tales in the wider area, including Silent Death, The Black Wolf and Message in Blood. These Tales should not be treated as missions inside Fort Imai itself. They use nearby camps, roads and settlements across the surrounding region.

Relevant named activities

The surrounding Tales may alter what is happening on nearby roads or in mission-only camps, but they do not turn Umugi Cove, Moss Light Inn or the Yuna quest locations into Fort Imai subareas.

Relevant named activities

Progression and state changes

After the story

Fort Imai can be revisited in free roam. Collectibles are not permanently missable, and the game’s Collections menu can be used to check whether the relevant Records, artefact and banners have been collected.

New Game+

New Game+ preserves the game’s broader replay framework but resets the world’s active progression state for the new run. Fort Imai can therefore be liberated again in that mode, but its single-player objectives should not be confused with the first-playthrough state.

Fort Imai in Legends

Fort Imai also appears as the setting for the Ghost of Tsushima: Legends Survival map The Shadows of War. This is a separate multiplayer activity. It should not be merged with the single-player fort’s exact enemy roster, collectible placements or liberation objectives. The shared name and visual setting establish the connection, but the modes have different rules and progression.

Practical exploration route

For a completion-focused visit, the following order minimises backtracking:

Practical exploration route: steps

  1. 01
    Approach from the south.
  2. 02
    Clear the lower camp.
  3. 03
    Enter the large yurt and take the Chinese Vase.
  4. 04
    Climb to the elevated position and study the fort.
  5. 05
    Release the nearest falcons while moving around the outer compound.
  6. 06
    Enter the fort and remove archers.
  7. 07
    Search the dojo and collect its banner.
  8. 08
    Enter the first right-hand barracks.
  9. 09
    Enter the second right-hand barracks.
  10. 10
    Search the front-facing building for the Record.
  11. 11
    Kill the war-camp general.
  12. 12
    Finish the remaining enemies.
  13. 13
    Walk the perimeter to confirm the fourth banner and third falcon.
  14. 14
    Leave only after the liberation banner confirms completion.

Common mistakes

Leaving after killing the general

The general is only one of four objectives. The fort remains incomplete if any falcons or banners are missing.

Assuming the banners are all in the centre

The banner placements are spread around the fort. Two are in barracks and others are associated with the dojo and perimeter positions.

Treating nearby locations as part of the fort

Umugi Cove, Moss Light Inn, Ichi’s Inn and Lonely Forest Clearing are connected by roads but are distinct locations. Hissing Creek Crossing is another separate outpost.

Confusing the four local banners with external catalogue numbers

Different guides use different numbering systems for territory rewards and open-world banner collections. Use the fort’s objective counter and the Collections menu rather than relying on a number from a third-party list.

Sources