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Locationmajor

Izuhara

Izuhara is the southernmost of the three principal regions in Ghost of Tsushima.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • Izuhara is the entire southern region, not merely the starting area around Komoda Beach.
  • Its internal hierarchy is region → prefecture → named area or settlement.
  • The region contains seven prefectures Ariake, Azamo, Hiyoshi, Kashine, Komatsu, Komoda and Tsutsu.
  • Izuhara has 24 Mongol territories, including two story-liberated strongholds and several farms that appear only after the Act 1 transition.
  • Clearing all Mongol territories removes Izuhara’s regional fog of war and reveals many remaining activities and points of interest.
  • The region contains a large concentration of early-game collectibles and activities, including 22 fox dens, 9 hot springs, 8 haiku, 7 bamboo strikes, 7 Shinto shrines, 7 Pillars of Honor, 16 hidden altars, 17 Mongol artefacts, 16 records and 10 singing crickets, according to a location-indexed map database.

About this guide

Scope: Base game, including content that becomes available in later acts while revisiting Izuhara. Iki Island, Ghost of Tsushima: Legends and real-world modern Tsushima are treated separately. Spoiler warning: This guide discusses Act 1, the transition into Act 2, the liberation of Izuhara and several character storylines.

Overview

Izuhara is the southernmost of the three principal regions in Ghost of Tsushima. It is where Jin Sakai’s campaign begins after the defeat at Komoda Beach, and it functions as both the game’s opening region and its largest early-game exploration space. Izuhara is not simply the area around Komoda Beach or the southern coastline. Its full in-game extent includes seven named prefectures, inland grasslands, forests, lakes, settlements, farms, temples, forts, fishing villages and the northern gateway of Castle Kaneda.

The region is deliberately varied. The south-west contains the initial battlefield and several early Mongol-held settlements, while the centre is dominated by the Golden Temple, Komatsu Forge, Kuta Grasslands and Lake Izuhara. The east and north-east lead into Hiyoshi Springs, Sensei Ishikawa’s Dojo, Kashine Forest and the routes towards Castle Kaneda. Tsutsu, in the south-east, provides a mixture of coast, wetlands, plains and the story-important Azamo Bay.

Izuhara remains relevant after the opening act. Several farmsteads and settlements that are peaceful during Act 1 become Mongol territories after Jin reaches Toyotama. As a result, a player who clears every visible camp before leaving Act 1 will not yet have completed Izuhara’s full liberation total. The region contains 24 Mongol territories, although some become available only after the story advances.

Prefectures

A river runs through the region from the northern Kaneda area towards the River Child’s Wetlands in the south. The landscape changes from beaches and open grassland to dense forest, marshland and mountain routes.

Ariake

Ariake occupies much of the central and south-central interior. It includes open grassland, Lake Izuhara and the Golden Forest. Kuta Grasslands and Sibling Rocks are useful navigation landmarks, while the lake is associated with exploration activities including a haiku location.

Named Ariake areas

Azamo

Azamo lies towards the south-east and includes one of Izuhara’s most important coastal settlements. Azamo Bay is a major story location and later becomes one of the region’s occupied territories.

Named Azamo areas

Hiyoshi

Hiyoshi is a north-eastern prefecture containing Hiyoshi Springs, a major early safe area and service hub. The prefecture also contains grasslands, a lake and several quieter exploration spaces.

Named Hiyoshi areas

The exact wording of minor map labels can vary between map indexes and in-game discovery context. The principal settlement and landmark names above are the stable, player-facing entries most useful for navigation.

Kashine

Kashine is associated with forested routes and mountainous terrain. It is one of the less settlement-heavy parts of Izuhara, and navigation is often shaped by cliffs, woodland and winding paths rather than large roads.

Named Kashine areas

Komatsu

Komatsu lies around the forge and its surrounding roads. Komatsu Forge is both a settlement and a story-critical Mongol territory. It is one of the best early locations for gathering supplies and upgrading equipment after its liberation.

Named Komatsu areas

Komoda

Komoda is the western and north-western coastal prefecture. It contains the opening battlefield, the inlet, fishing and landing sites, and several landmarks connected with early main and character Tales.

Named Komoda areas

Tsutsu

Tsutsu covers the south-eastern and southern interior. It includes Azamo Bay, Kishi Village, the River Child’s Wetlands and Fort Ohira. Its landscape combines open plains, wetlands, coastlines and isolated compounds.

Named Tsutsu areas

Izuhara’s settlements have different functions. Some are genuine hubs with merchants or upgrades, some are story locations, and some are primarily scenic or mission locations. A name that sounds like a shop or service is not, by itself, evidence that the location provides a purchasable service.

Azamo

Hiyoshi

Komatsu

Golden Temple

The Golden Temple is Izuhara’s main refuge and one of its most important early hubs. It becomes a central meeting place for survivors and several story-associated characters. It is also a practical resupply point, with merchants and services that support Jin’s early equipment development.

The temple is particularly useful after liberating nearby areas because rescued survivors and quest-givers can gather there. It is also a good fast-travel anchor when working through the central and eastern parts of the region.

Hiyoshi Springs

Hiyoshi Springs is a settlement built around hot springs and is one of the first places where the game teaches the relationship between exploration and permanent upgrades. The settlement is connected with a hot spring activity and includes story-related NPCs.

Hiyoshi is a useful base for the north-east of Izuhara. Its surrounding roads lead towards Kashine Forest, Sensei Ishikawa’s Dojo and the northern approaches to Castle Kaneda.

Komatsu Forge

Komatsu Forge is a major settlement and a story-critical location. It is initially under Mongol occupation and is liberated during the main story. Once secured, it becomes an important western-central fast-travel point.

The forge is significant for both narrative and practical reasons. It represents one of the first major communities Jin protects, and the location contributes to the game’s weapon-upgrade economy through its smithing services and nearby supplies.

Komoda Town

Komoda Town is a coastal settlement in the Komoda area. It is among the locations damaged or occupied during the invasion and is associated with early exploration and rescue activity.

It should not be confused with Komoda Beach, the opening battlefield. The beach is a separate landmark and story area, while Komoda Town is a settlement.

Castle Kaneda

Castle Kaneda is the northern fortress of Izuhara and the principal story gate into Toyotama. During Act 1, it is not simply another freely accessible castle. Jin must progress through the main story to assault and liberate it.

The liberation of Castle Kaneda marks the end of the opening regional arc. It is also counted among Izuhara’s Mongol territories, bringing the region’s total to 24.

Other named settlements and bases

Some of these are residences, mission locations or military positions rather than permanent commercial settlements.

Izuhara contains 24 Mongol territories. These include camps, crossings, estates, villages, logging sites, farms, a shipyard, Komatsu Forge and Castle Kaneda. The names below are consolidated from regional liberation guides.

Other named settlements and bases

Complete Izuhara liberation directory

The names “Burn Down Logging Base”, “Destroy the Logging Camp” and “Destroy Shipyard” are objective-style labels used by guides and map indexes. They refer to distinct Mongol territories rather than a single generic logging location.

Complete Izuhara liberation directory

Progression state of the territories

During Act 1, several farmsteads remain peaceful. After Jin reaches Toyotama, the Mongols occupy a number of Izuhara’s farms and fishing settlements. This is why a player may have cleared every hostile camp currently visible and still be below 24/24.

The farmsteads are not permanently missable. They are progression-delayed rather than Act 1-only content. Guides also report that clearing all occupied areas in a region removes the remaining regional fog of war and reveals undiscovered activities.

Izuhara is the home region for many of Jin’s principal allies and several of the game’s most important character arcs.

The main progression rules are

  1. 01
    Clear the territories that are hostile during Act 1.
  2. 02
    Complete the main story through the assault on Castle Kaneda.
  3. 03
    Enter the next stage of the story so the Mongol counterattack on Izuhara’s farms occurs.
  4. 04
    Return to Izuhara and liberate the newly occupied farms and villages.
  5. 05
    Use the region map or liberated-territory count to confirm completion.

Story-associated characters

Their presence depends on story progression. Some characters move between locations, while others appear only during specific Tales.

Story-associated characters

Residents, visitors and groups

The Straw Hats are not a general Izuhara faction in the same way as the Mongol occupation. They are a story-associated ronin group whose camps and movements change through Ryuzo’s Tale.

Izuhara contains the opening sequence of Jin’s campaign, the first major character arcs and a large portion of the game’s early optional content.

Main story

The precise order in which optional Tales are completed can vary. Some character missions become available only after earlier Tales or main missions.

Character Tales

Izuhara is the starting area for several recurring character storylines:

These are not all confined entirely to Izuhara. A character’s arc may begin in Izuhara and continue into another region, so a regional guide should distinguish the Izuhara portion from the complete storyline.

Character Tales

Mythic Tales

Three Mythic Tales are listed for Izuhara. The exact availability of each is connected with the musician Yamato and the game’s regional progression.

The Izuhara Mythic Tales provide some of the game’s most valuable early rewards, including special weapons, techniques or armour-related rewards. Begin them when their musician becomes available, but do not assume that every reward can be claimed immediately if the tale’s objectives lead beyond the current safe area.

Regional activity totals

The following totals are useful for planning a completion route:

These numbers come from a map index and should be treated as regional activity totals. They do not mean every activity is marked from the start or that all Tales are permanently restricted to the region.

Regional activity totals

ActivityIzuhara total
Fox dens22
Hot springs9
Haiku8
Bamboo strikes7
Shinto shrines7
Pillars of Honor7
Hidden altars16
Mongol artefacts17
Records16
Singing crickets10
Mongol camps and occupied territories24
Side Tales listed by regional map17
Mythic Tales3

Fox dens and Inari shrines

Izuhara contains 22 fox dens. Following a fox leads Jin to an Inari shrine, where he can increase the number of minor charm slots available. These activities are among the most useful early exploration goals because the benefit accumulates throughout the whole game.

Use Golden Birds and the Guiding Wind where possible, but do not rely on them as a complete substitute for map clearing. A fox can lead through woodland, around a hill or towards a shrine that is not immediately visible from the road.

Hot springs

Hot springs increase Jin’s maximum health. Izuhara contains nine. Hiyoshi Springs is both a named settlement and an important hot-spring location, but the regional total includes other springs spread throughout the countryside.

A practical early route is to visit springs while travelling between Tales rather than making a separate long-distance circuit.

Bamboo strikes

The seven Izuhara bamboo strikes increase Jin’s resolve capacity. They are permanent upgrades and are especially valuable before difficult duels or larger Mongol territories.

Bamboo strikes are fixed activities, not random encounters. If one is missing, check the map after clearing the surrounding Mongol territories or after gaining enough story progression for the relevant marker to appear.

Shinto shrines

Izuhara contains seven Shinto shrines. These are traversal-focused activities that require climbing, grappling, squeezing through gaps and following mountain paths. Their rewards include major charms and wax wood, making them more than simple sightseeing locations.

Shrines are separate from fox dens and from the smaller hidden altars scattered across the region.

Haiku

Eight haiku locations are listed for Izuhara. They provide headbands and a short reflective activity rather than a combat reward. The haiku on the island in Lake Izuhara should not be confused with the separate haiku associated with Hiyoshi Springs and its surrounding area.

Pillars of Honor and vanity gear

Izuhara has seven Pillars of Honor. These provide sword kits, which change the appearance of Jin’s sword but do not independently alter its statistics.

The region also contains seven vanity-gear entries in one regional map index. Vanity items can be obtained from pillars, haiku, merchants, exploration and other activities, so the category should be checked against the item source rather than treated as a single reward type.

Records, artefacts and singing crickets

These are fixed collectibles. Mongol artefacts are normally found in occupied or Mongol-associated spaces, while records and singing crickets can be placed in settlements, camps, houses or quieter countryside locations. Some are easiest to find before or during liberation, but the game generally allows post-story exploration.

Main travel routes

Izuhara’s roads are often more useful than straight-line map navigation because cliffs, rivers and dense woodland block direct approaches.

Named crossings are not merely decorative. They frequently serve as Mongol territories, mission objectives or natural chokepoints.

Recommended exploration order

After entering Toyotama

Izuhara’s main hostile presence is the Mongol occupation. Enemy groups vary between small patrols, archers, shield and spear formations, brutes, swordsmen and leaders. Later camps can include stronger enemy types than those found in the earliest areas.

There is no conventional civilian police or law-enforcement system. Security is represented by Mongol garrisons, patrols, alarms, prisoners and camp objectives.

When approaching a Mongol territory, observe the camp before entering. Leaders can often be identified through the observation prompt, and killing or observing a leader may advance stance progress. Optional objectives vary by territory, so do not assume that every camp uses the same requirements.

Liberating a territory normally grants supplies, progress towards Jin’s Legend and access to the liberated location as a safer travel point. Some camps also reveal rumours or make surrounding exploration easier.

Completing all 24 Izuhara territories contributes to the regional liberation trophy and clears the region’s fog of war. The trophy associated with liberating all occupied areas in Izuhara is A Fight For The Isle….

The most common completion mistake is leaving Izuhara immediately after clearing its early camps. The six farm-related locations are progression-sensitive, and their occupation is tied to the story transition rather than being available from the beginning.

The game presents Izuhara as a fictionalised version of Tsushima during the first Mongol invasion of Japan in 1274. The historical island was strategically important because of its position between Japan and the Korean Peninsula. The game uses real geographical inspiration, including Tsushima’s mountainous terrain, coastal settlements and narrow maritime position, but its map, settlements and events are substantially fictionalised for the open-world setting.

The real-world municipality of Tsushima includes modern areas such as Izuhara, Mitsushima, Toyotama, Mine, Kamiagata and Kamitsushima. These modern administrative divisions should not be treated as a direct equivalent of the game’s seven Izuhara prefectures.

Early Act 1

  1. 01
    Complete the opening rescue and recruitment missions.
  2. 02
    Establish Golden Temple and Hiyoshi Springs as fast-travel anchors.
  3. 03
    Complete the first available Tales for Yuna, Ishikawa and Masako.
  4. 04
    Liberate nearby camps encountered naturally.
  5. 05
    Upgrade the katana, tanto and bow whenever the relevant settlement services become available.
  6. 06
    Take nearby fox dens, hot springs and bamboo strikes rather than crossing the entire region for isolated collectibles.

Mid-to-late Act 1

  1. 01
    Work through the character Tales as they unlock.
  2. 02
    Liberate Komatsu Forge if it has not already been secured through the story.
  3. 03
    Explore Ariake, Kashine and Tsutsu.
  4. 04
    Complete available Mythic Tales when their objectives are practical to reach.
  5. 05
    Clear the currently available Mongol territories.
  6. 06
    Prepare for Castle Kaneda.

After entering Toyotama

  1. 01
    Return to Izuhara after the farmsteads become occupied.
  2. 02
    Check the map for newly marked red territories.
  3. 03
    Liberate the farms, fishing villages and remaining camps.
  4. 04
    Finish any remaining character Tales and collectibles.
  5. 05
    Use the completed-territory count and regional map to verify that Izuhara is fully liberated.

Is Izuhara only the starting area?

No. Izuhara is the entire southern region of the island. It includes seven prefectures and extends north to Castle Kaneda. Komoda Beach is only one location within Komoda Prefecture.

Why do I have fewer than 24 liberated territories?

Several farms and settlements become occupied only after the story progresses into the next region. Return to Izuhara after the Act 1 transition and check the newly hostile locations.

Are the Izuhara farmsteads missable?

They are progression-delayed rather than permanently missable. They can be liberated during later free exploration.

Does Castle Kaneda count as an Izuhara territory?

Yes. It is one of the 24 territories counted for Izuhara, although its liberation is tied directly to the main story.

Is Komoda Town the same as Komoda Beach?

No. Komoda Beach is the opening battlefield and a separate location from Komoda Town.

Does every named building provide a service?

No. Some named places are settlements, residences, mission locations, forts, scenic landmarks or temporary camps. Services should be confirmed through the location’s actual merchants and NPCs rather than inferred from its name.

Is Izuhara fully completed when all Mongol territories are cleared?

Not necessarily. Full regional completion also includes Tales, Mythic Tales, shrines, fox dens, hot springs, haiku, bamboo strikes, vanity items and other collectibles. Clearing the territories is an efficient first step because it removes fog of war and exposes many remaining markers.

Sources