Assassin’s Creed Shadows Kuji-Kiri Guide

Kuji-Kiri in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is an optional objective that is exclusive to Naoe. Let’s take a look at its details.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is Ubisoft’s latest flagship title in the beloved Assassin’s Creed franchise. It is an RPG game with two protagonists, a main story, and tons of side and optional objectives. In addition to that, it is set in Feudal Japan, so naturally the developers decided to include a lot of activities that are inspired by Japanese culture and customs. 

The Kuji-Kiri can be considered one of them. This is a mediation-like objective that is exclusive to Naoe, the shinobi. In this guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about the Kuji-Kiri in Assassin’s Creed.

Kuji-Kiri in Assassin’s Creed Shadows Explained

The Kuji-Kiri is a Buddhist practice, and it means “nine symbolic cuts” or “nine hand seals.” It is a mix of meditation, different mantras, and symbolic hand gestures. 

The developers at Ubisoft decided to add Kuji-Kiri in Assassin’s Creed Shadows as an optional activity. Its iteration in the game is quite similar, if not identical, to its real-life counterpart. It can serve as a soothing experience and offers a much-needed break from all the action and tragedy in Shadows. However, the Kuji-Kiri is exclusive to Naoe, and Yasuke cannot participate in it at any point in the game. 

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Game Director Charles Benoit has stated in the past that they did not want to hold the player’s hand in Shadows, so the game will have a limited number of icons and markers on the HUD and the map. This means that players will have to pay more attention to every bit of information the game provides, and they will have to rely on exploration to find new activities.

Because of this approach, the Kuji-Kiri objective is scattered throughout the landscape. Players can come across it more naturally while exploring the world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Additionally, You might find your first Kuji-Kiri when you go to look for Kyonyo during the Fatherless Monk quest. If you take the natural road, then you will spot a gate and a shrine on your right side. The Kuji-Kiri will be right underneath.

The Kuji-Kiri Gives Players a Peek into Naoe’s Past

The objective in itself is quite simple. First, approach the location and press E to sit and start. After that, four different button prompts will appear around Naoe. You must press them at the right time in chronological order. As you do that, you will see Naoe doing different hand gestures, as is the real-life custom for the Kuji-Kiri. 

Keep repeating this process and, with each cycle, you will notice the screen slowly transforming into a Japanese monochromatic painting. Shortly after that, Japanese letters will start to appear instead of the button prompts. Then the game will cut to an event from Naoe’s earlier years, which will serve as a mini-quest. This will be the pattern for every Kuji-Kiri in the game, and, as you do more of these, you unravel more stories from Naoe’s life and past. 

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We provide the latest news and create guides for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Meanwhile, you can check out the following AC Shadows articles or catch us playing games on Twitch and YouTube:

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