eXputer
Subscribe

Locationmajor

Saruiwa

Saruiwa is a mountainous coastal landmark in the south-western corner of Iki Island, added in Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • Saruiwa is in south-western Iki Island, at the island’s southern coastal end.
  • The name covers more than the summit The wider area includes Mount Saruiwa, its climbing route, the Monkey Sanctuary, the three associated monkey statues, and nearby Saruiwa Overlook.
  • The summit sanctuary is reached through a fixed climbing sequence involving handholds, a grappling hook, ropes, narrow gaps, a bamboo crossing and a small pool.
  • To unlock Monkey See, interact with the three statues in the appropriate ways play the flute, use a Smoke Bomb and bow.
  • The sanctuary grants progress towards Charm of Mashira’s Protection The charm improves the timing window for Perfect Parries and Perfect Dodges after Jin heals with Resolve, but healing costs one additional Resolve while it is equipped.
  • Saruiwa Overlook is a separate Mongol Territory Clearing it awards 6 Steel and contributes to Iki Island’s Mongol-Territory completion.

About this guide

Spoiler warning: This guide covers the Saruiwa Monkey Sanctuary, the three monkey-statue interactions, Saruiwa Overlook, Sakai banners and the hidden Monkey See Trophy in Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut. It does not spoil the main ending of Ghost of Tsushima, but it does reveal Iki Island exploration rewards and environmental secrets.

Overview

Saruiwa is a mountainous coastal landmark in the south-western corner of Iki Island, added in Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island. The name is used most clearly for the mountain and its climbing route, but the surrounding area also contains Saruiwa Overlook, a separate Mongol Territory. Treating Saruiwa as only the summit would miss a substantial part of the nearby content.

The mountain is primarily an exploration location rather than a settlement. It has no functioning village, shop, inn or permanent civilian population. Its main attraction is the difficult route to the summit, where Jin can complete the Saruiwa Monkey Sanctuary. Three optional monkey-statue interactions along the climb form the environmental puzzle associated with the hidden Monkey See Trophy. Nearby Saruiwa Overlook provides a separate combat encounter, two Sakai banners and additional routes through the surrounding ravines and coast.

Saruiwa can be visited after Jin reaches Iki Island. The climb is not tied to a specific tale, although the island’s animal-sanctuary activities and the Trophy system make it useful for exploration completion. The location is therefore best understood as a cluster of connected outdoor areas, not as a conventional town or a single point of interest.

Scope and boundaries

What counts as Saruiwa here?

This guide uses Saruiwa in the practical exploration sense:

This distinction matters because guides and map databases sometimes place nearby collectibles under “Saruiwa”, “Saruiwa Overlook” or a more general south-west Iki label. Saruiwa Overlook is not the same location as the Monkey Sanctuary. It is a separate camp west of Buddha’s Footprints and contains its own enemies and rewards.

Neighbouring places that should not be merged with Saruiwa

The following locations are close enough to be useful route references but are not part of the mountain itself:

What counts as Saruiwa here?

  1. 01
    Mount Saruiwa, including the approach staircase and the vertical route to the summit.
  2. 02
    The Saruiwa Monkey Sanctuary at the mountain’s top.
  3. 03
    The three monkey statues placed on optional branches of the climbing route.
  4. 04
    The nearby ravines, pools, ledges and coastal rock shelves that form part of the route.
  5. 05
    The named Saruiwa Overlook Mongol Territory, treated as a separate subarea rather than as the mountain summit itself.

Geography and atmosphere

Saruiwa is presented as a steep, heavily vegetated mountain rising from a rocky coastal landscape. The route is deliberately vertical. Rather than following a broad road to a gate, Jin moves through a sequence of narrow ledges, rope traversals, handholds and gaps in the rock.

The mountain’s design combines natural cliffs with deliberately placed monkey imagery. Two large monkey statues mark the start of the main climb. Farther up, the route opens into a more ceremonial area containing the three smaller statues associated with the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” motif. The sanctuary at the summit is surrounded by monkeys and functions as the endpoint of the climb rather than as a conventional shrine building.

The surrounding area is more varied than the summit route alone:

There are no verified buildings, homes, inns, workshops or commercial premises within Saruiwa. Any structures seen at Saruiwa Overlook are military camp structures, watchtowers, cages and defensive obstacles rather than civilian buildings.

Subareas and named entries

Mount Saruiwa climbing route

Mount Saruiwa is the main vertical exploration area. Begin at the base, where two large monkey statues flank the approach to the stairs. The main path then leads through the mountain, but several collectible and Trophy-related branches leave the obvious route.

The route is not a free-form climb from any point on the mountain. The intended path uses specific interaction points, and some ledges are accessible only from one direction. If a cliff face appears blank, continue along the current route rather than repeatedly attempting to jump towards it.

Saruiwa Monkey Sanctuary

The Saruiwa Monkey Sanctuary is located at the summit. It is one of Iki Island’s monkey sanctuaries, where Jin plays the flute for the animals. Animal sanctuaries form a wider Iki Island activity, and completing monkey sanctuaries contributes to improving the associated charm.

The first completed monkey sanctuary grants Charm of Mashira’s Protection. Further monkey-sanctuary completions improve the charm’s effect. While equipped, it extends the timing window for Perfect Parries and Perfect Dodges after Jin heals with Resolve, but each heal costs one additional Resolve.

Three monkey statues

The mountain contains three separate interactive statues. They are not the large statues at the entrance and should not be confused with the sanctuary itself.

The statues can technically be completed in different orders, but following the sequence above is the least confusing because it matches the direction of the climb.

Saruiwa Overlook

Saruiwa Overlook is a separate Mongol Territory in the broader southern Saruiwa area. It lies west of Buddha’s Footprints and is described as a sizeable Iki outpost, though still smaller than the largest Mongol camps on Tsushima.

Its objective is straightforward: defeat all Mongols in the territory. It includes elevated approaches, watchtowers, a commander and several groups positioned around a bridge and enclosed camp areas. Clearing it gives 6 Steel, listed as a minor increase reward. It also contributes to the set of Iki Island Mongol Territories used for map-clearing and Trophy progress.

Three monkey statues

Statue motifWhere to lookRequired action
Hear No EvilOptional branch near the early part of the climbPlay the flute
See No EvilLower side route near the rock path and ledgesThrow a Smoke Bomb
Speak No EvilPool area below the route, near a Sakai bannerBow

Access and routes

Reaching Saruiwa

Saruiwa is available for exploration after Jin reaches Iki Island. The wider Iki story can temporarily control travel between Iki and Tsushima during its opening stages, so players who cannot immediately return to Tsushima should not interpret that restriction as a Saruiwa-specific lock. Once free exploration is available, the mountain can be approached independently of a main tale.

The first statue branch is the easiest to miss because it is placed before the route’s first obvious squeeze-through point. The third statue is the most likely to be overlooked if the player climbs past the pool without checking the lower ledges.

Reaching Saruiwa

  1. 01
    Travel to the south-western portion of Iki Island.
  2. 02
    Use the map to distinguish the mountain from Saruiwa Overlook, which is the nearby Mongol camp.
  3. 03
    At the foot of the mountain, look for the stairway between two large monkey statues.
  4. 04
    Follow the climb until the route opens into the statue area.

Recommended route through the mountain: The safest completion route is

  1. 01
    Base of the mountain: enter between the two large monkey statues.
  2. 02
    First statue branch: before taking the narrow squeeze-through route, look for the grappling-hook point on the left. Climb to a rope leading to the first statue and play the flute.
  3. 03
    Return to the main route: pass through the narrow gap and continue upwards.
  4. 04
    Second statue branch: before the stone arch, look for ledges leading down. Reach the statue and use a Smoke Bomb.
  5. 05
    Upper route: return to the main path and cross the stone arch and bamboo section.
  6. 06
    Pool section: use the grappling hook to descend, then drop into the water.
  7. 07
    Third statue: locate the mouth-covered statue near the water and the Sakai banner. Bow in front of it.
  8. 08
    Final ascent: climb back towards the upper route using the handholds and rope.
  9. 09
    Summit: reach the Monkey Sanctuary and play the flute for the monkeys.

Monkey See Trophy walkthrough

The Monkey See Trophy requires more than reaching the summit. Jin must embody the spirit of the monkey by interacting with all three statues and then completing the sanctuary at the top.

Step-by-step

The three statue interactions produce short visual responses, but the Trophy is associated with completing the full sequence and the sanctuary activity, not merely finding the statues. You do not need to wear the Sarugami Armour to perform the interactions.

Step-by-step

  1. 01
    Reach the entrance staircase between the two large monkey statues.
  2. 02
    Take the left-hand grappling-hook route before squeezing through the first gap.
  3. 03
    Follow the handholds and rope to the statue covering its ears.
  4. 04
    Stand in front of it and play the flute.
  5. 05
    Return to the main path and pass through the narrow gap.
  6. 06
    Before the stone arch, use the ledges to descend to the statue covering its eyes.
  7. 07
    Throw a Smoke Bomb while facing the statue.
  8. 08
    Return to the main path and cross the stone arch and bamboo section.
  9. 09
    Use the grappling hook to descend towards the water.
  10. 10
    Swim or drop into the small pool and search near the Sakai banner for the statue covering its mouth.
  11. 11
    Bow to the statue.
  12. 12
    Continue to the summit.
  13. 13
    Play the flute at the Monkey Sanctuary.

Saruiwa Overlook walkthrough

Saruiwa Overlook is a combat location rather than part of the sanctuary climb.

Suggested approach

The Overlook is well suited to a mixed stealth approach. The elevated rocks provide a survey position, while the rope allows an early assassination of the commander. If the camp becomes alerted, retreating into nearby grass can let the alert state settle before resuming the attack. Alternatively, a full Ghost Stance, kunai and sticky bombs are effective against the clustered groups.

Reward and progression

The Steel reward belongs to Saruiwa Overlook, not to the summit sanctuary. The charm belongs to the wider monkey-sanctuary activity and is not a unique one-time weapon or armour reward from Saruiwa alone.

Suggested approach

  1. 01
    Approach from the north or north-eastern rocks to gain elevation.
  2. 02
    Deal with the nearby archer and the isolated guard outside the main entrance.
  3. 03
    Enter through the broken fence or upper access point.
  4. 04
    Use the rope route to reach the commander from above if stealth is still viable.
  5. 05
    Clear the enclosed western section, where several Mongols are grouped together.
  6. 06
    Move towards the bridge and eliminate the elevated archers.
  7. 07
    Cross the bridge and clear the remaining camp.

Reward and progression

ActivityReward or result
Clear Saruiwa Overlook6 Steel
Complete a monkey sanctuaryProgress towards Charm of Mashira’s Protection
Complete additional monkey sanctuariesImproves the charm’s effect
Interact with all three Saruiwa statues and complete the summit sanctuaryMonkey See Trophy

Collectibles directory

Sakai banners

The wider Saruiwa area contains verified Sakai Banner placements associated with both the Overlook and the mountain route. Sources identify the following placements:

The exact numbering differs between collectible guides, so location descriptions are safer than relying on a universal banner number. The important distinction is that not every “Saruiwa” banner is inside the Overlook camp itself.

Monkey Sanctuary entries

The three statues are Trophy interactions rather than separate animal sanctuaries. They should not be counted as three additional sanctuaries in an Iki completion list.

Sakai banners

NameDetails
Sakai Banner, Saruiwa Overlook, south-eastern sidenext to an animal cage.
Sakai Banner, near Saruiwa Overlook waterfallwest of the Overlook, at the base of a waterfall.
Sakai Banner, Mount Saruiwa climbing routereached by climbing through rocks south-east of Saruiwa; the route descends towards the ocean near a monkey statue.
Sakai Banner, Saruiwa pool sectionpositioned near the mouth-covered monkey statue and the water route.

Monkey Sanctuary entries

NameDetails
Saruiwa Monkey Sanctuarysummit of Mount Saruiwa.
Monkey statue, Hear No Evilupper-left branch near the beginning of the route.
Monkey statue, See No Evillower ledge route before the stone arch.
Monkey statue, Speak No Evilpool area near the Sakai banner.

Enemies, security and hazards

Mongols

Mongols are concentrated at Saruiwa Overlook. Their arrangement includes:

The mountain itself is not a Mongol camp. Do not expect a fixed enemy garrison along the Monkey Sanctuary route. Any ordinary hostile encounters encountered in the surrounding wilderness are separate from the Overlook’s named territory.

Environmental hazards

The main danger at Mount Saruiwa is falling rather than combat. The route contains:

The game’s intended traversal path is fixed, so patience is more useful than repeated jumping. When the camera points towards a wall with handholds, reposition Jin carefully before pressing the jump command. On the statue branches, return to the main route after completing each interaction instead of trying to descend directly.

Lore and presentation

Saruiwa’s imagery centres on monkeys, observation and ritual behaviour. The three statues use the familiar three-monkey motif, but the game turns that motif into a practical traversal puzzle. Each statue demands a different non-combat action:

This makes Saruiwa distinct from Iki’s conventional Shinto Shrines. It is not primarily a test of combat or a standard shrine platforming challenge. Its identity comes from the combination of natural climbing, animal activity and playful interaction design.

Real-world inspiration

The name Saruiwa, commonly translated as “Monkey Rock”, also exists as a real landmark on Iki Island in Nagasaki Prefecture. Tourism material places the real Saruiwa at the tip of the Kurosaki Peninsula, where a rock formation resembles a monkey. The game’s Saruiwa is a fictionalised location within the game’s version of Iki Island, so the real landmark should be treated as inspiration and naming context rather than as a one-to-one map recreation.

Easter eggs and uncertain details

Players have reported visual references to other Sucker Punch and Sony properties around the Saruiwa climbing route, including imagery associated with inFAMOUS. Community reports describe handprints, painted symbols and character-like figures near the mountain. These observations are widely repeated by players, but the available evidence is not an official developer explanation, and the symbolism should not be presented as confirmed in-universe lore.

For a careful completion guide, treat these as environmental easter eggs, not collectibles, quests or reward-bearing objects. They do not replace the verified Monkey Sanctuary, statue interactions or Sakai Banner entries.

Practical checklist

Before leaving the Saruiwa area, check the following:

Sources