Toyotama, the second major region in Ghost of Tsushima, offers a vast and war-torn landscape filled with enemy camps, occupied farms, hidden shrines, and samurai tales. As Jin Sakai, your mission to liberate Toyotama from Mongol control is both crucial to the story and rewarding in gameplay. Unlike Izuhara, Toyotama is even more dangerous, with better-equipped enemies, larger forts, and an increasingly desperate occupation by Mongol forces. Freeing Toyotama not only progresses the main storyline but also strengthens Jin’s resistance and gives players access to important upgrades and allies.
Understanding the Liberation of Toyotama
When you arrive in Toyotama after completing Act I and rescuing Lord Shimura, your next goal is to disrupt Mongol forces and reclaim territory in the region. Liberating Toyotama is part of the larger resistance effort and contributes to Jin’s legend growth. Each liberated location reduces Mongol presence, opens up new resources, and often leads to bonus rewards such as technique points, weapon upgrades, or unique cosmetics.
Main Benefits of Liberating Toyotama
- Unlocks fast travel points across the map.
- Grants bonus legend (XP) and technique points.
- Reduces Mongol patrols in surrounding areas.
- Reveals hidden map locations such as Shinto shrines, haikus, and fox dens.
- Improves immersion and progression within Jin’s transformation into the Ghost.
How to Begin Liberating Toyotama
The region of Toyotama becomes fully accessible at the start of Act II. You’ll enter through a pass that opens after completing Act I’s final mission at Castle Kaneda. Once inside, you’ll meet with allies like Yuna, Norio, and Lady Masako to start forming a new strategy against the Mongols. The quest to liberate the region is tied to both the main story missions and several side objectives located throughout the map.
Focus Areas for Liberation
Toyotama includes several types of locations that must be cleared to weaken Mongol control:
- Occupied Farms Villages turned into Mongol strongholds, often housing captives and resources.
- Mongol Camps and Forts Larger outposts with multiple waves of enemies, alarms, and captains.
- Logging Bases and Stables Key supply locations for the Mongol war effort.
Each type of objective has unique layouts, requiring different strategies and tools for successful liberation.
Strategies to Liberate Toyotama Effectively
1. Upgrade Your Ghost Tools
By the time you reach Toyotama, you’ll have access to essential Ghost tools such as smoke bombs, kunai, and sticky bombs. These can dramatically turn the tide in harder battles. Use smoke bombs to escape ambushes or chain assassinations, and deploy kunai to quickly stagger multiple enemies.
2. Use Stealth When Possible
While the honorable way of the samurai encourages open combat, the Ghost’s stealth tactics are more efficient in Mongol camps. Use rooftops, grass cover, and distractions like wind chimes or firecrackers to pick off enemies quietly. Stealth also allows you to disable alarms, preventing reinforcements from being called.
3. Prioritize Leaders and Captains
Mongol leaders grant stances when observed or defeated. In Toyotama, you’ll face tougher opponents, including shielded brutes and dual-wielding warriors. Switch stances accordingly: Stone for swordsmen, Water for shields, Wind for spearmen, and Moon for brutes. Observing or killing leaders helps unlock these stances faster, giving you an advantage in future encounters.
4. Unlock and Use the Ghost Stance
The Ghost Stance becomes more accessible during Toyotama’s battles. Triggered by defeating multiple enemies without taking damage, this powerful mode allows you to instantly execute several foes in a row, causing nearby enemies to flee in fear. Use it strategically at the beginning of engagements to thin out enemy ranks.
Major Locations to Liberate in Toyotama
Below are some key locations you must focus on when working to liberate Toyotama:
- Fort Imai A heavily guarded fort with layered defenses and multiple captains.
- Old Kanazawa Marsh A misty area filled with patrols and ambush traps. Great place for stealth.
- Kushi Grasslands Open space with scattered camps. Horseback archery and explosive arrows are very effective here.
- Yarikawa Stronghold Though part of a main questline, reclaiming this area is central to the liberation of the southern zone.
Make sure to explore every liberated site thoroughly many contain hidden supplies, records, artifacts, and gear upgrades.
Tracking Progress Through the Map
On the world map, you can track your progress through liberation by checking for Mongol-occupied icons. Once a location is cleared, the icon will disappear or change, showing your influence spreading. Additionally, the fog of war on the map lifts as you liberate more places, revealing new side quests and exploration points.
Use the Guiding Wind
As you unlock more objectives, the Guiding Wind can be redirected to track locations related to Mongol territory, undiscovered artifacts, or upgrade materials. This feature helps you stay organized and focused during the campaign to retake Toyotama.
Integrating Main Story Missions
While liberating outposts and farms is optional to advance the story, doing so makes Jin stronger and better prepared for Act III. Many of your allies like Norio and Masako have personal quests in Toyotama that lead to unique weapons, charms, and character development. These tales often cross paths with liberation goals and can help weaken Mongol command structures in the region.
Recruiting the People of Yarikawa
One pivotal moment in Toyotama’s story is your effort to recruit the people of Yarikawa. This builds toward a massive battle where your strategic thinking and liberated allies come into play. Completing this arc also boosts morale across the region, which is reflected in NPC dialogue and support during later missions.
Rewards for Full Liberation
Fully liberating Toyotama offers both tangible and narrative rewards. Once all outposts and camps are cleared, the region enters a state of peace. The visual tone of the map changes, patrols vanish, and traveling becomes safer. Additionally, you’ll earn technique points, resources like supplies and steel, and powerful charms that enhance Jin’s combat efficiency.
Fully clearing Toyotama also helps toward the Hero of Tsushima trophy or achievement, making it an important goal for completionists. It also emotionally reinforces Jin’s evolution from a lone warrior to a symbol of hope and resistance.
The battle to liberate Toyotama in Ghost of Tsushima is a defining chapter in Jin Sakai’s journey. With a mix of strategic stealth, intense combat, and emotionally rich storytelling, freeing this region enhances the gameplay experience while advancing the broader narrative. Each Mongol camp taken back, each farm restored, and each ally rescued brings Tsushima one step closer to freedom. Whether you’re aiming for full completion or simply seeking a richer, more immersive path through the game, the liberation of Toyotama offers an unforgettable, rewarding challenge at the heart of the Ghost’s rebellion.