All Bamboo Strike Locations

Bamboo Strikes are another returning element from Ghost of Tsushima, being tests of player skill located throughout the game world. Most of the time when you find one, you can just interact with it, whereupon you’ll need to complete three challenges to cut through three, five, then seven stalks of bamboo… and possibly more if any pieces go flying. Each stalk of bamboo is represented by a button you must press within a time limit, and these button presses do not change between stages at a single Bamboo Strike. Manage to complete all three stages of a Bamboo Strike successfully and you’ll gain a boost to your Spirit - first increasing your maximum Spirit and later how much Spirit you’ll passively regenerate. This page will provide the locations of every Bamboo Strike in Ghost of Yotei as well as the combinations you have to input to complete them!

Page Breakdown¶

Bamboo Strikes - Yotei Grasslands¶

There are four Bamboo Strikes in the Yotei Grasslands region, but one of them can only be completed (read: must be completed) during the main quest Way of the Dual Katana.

Home Bamboo Strike¶

The first Bamboo Strike is close to home - just head to the southern edge of the plateau on which Atsu’s house is built to find this Bamboo Strike. Repair it and you can use it:

Nupur River Bamboo Strike¶

Northwest of the Yotei’s Shadow Inn, past the Nupur River. Look for a thicket past the river and search for some thin bamboo walls you can cut through. The Bamboo Strike is inside the thicket, near a campsite.

Yotei River Bamboo Strike¶

Along the northwestern edge of the Yotei Grasslands region, just follow the Yotei River west and look for this Bamboo Strike on a bluff north of the river, overlooking some white-flowering trees.

Way of the Dual Katana Bamboo Strike¶

You will have to complete this Bamboo Strike during the main quest Way of the Dual Katana, and this one is a bit odd inasmuch as it has different inputs to show Atsu’s strength training with her left arm. The button combinations shown below will be for the third and final Bamboo Strike session - it doesn’t matter if you clear the first two or not, you’ll only get a reward when you clear the third one. Since this is a left-handed Bamboo Strike, the normal inputs on the right have been replaced by D-Pad inputs on the left of the controller. Clever. The trick to this one is to roll your thumb over the D-Pad as directed instead of trying to actually press the buttons individually.

Tokachi Range Bamboo Strikes¶

There are three Bamboo Strikes in Tokachi Range, but two are fairly obtuse. One can be found at the Huranui’s Rest Inn at the fork of the Nupur River (the Bamboo Strike itself is not marked on the map) while the Misty Valley Bamboo Strike can only be completed during or after the side quest The Spider Lily General, as it’s part of the bamboo forest maze puzzle. This leaves Niikappu’s Fork Bamboo Strike as the only straight-forward one in the region.

Huranui’s Rest Inn Bamboo Strike¶

Despite not being marked on the map, this is the first Bamboo Strike you should complete in this region - more because it’s located at the only real hub of civilization here. Just follow the Nupur River northeast from Serpent Pass and you’ll stumble across the Hurani’s Rest Inn. This Bamboo Strike can be found just south of the inn’s main building. Read a note on the Bamboo Strike to learn that this one has a stipulation - you must be drunk before you can complete it. Find some sake nearby, drink it, then try the Bamboo Strike. It’s not really a visual challenge, so it shouldn’t really change much… assuming you can remember seven inputs without having to constantly look at the screen, anyways.

Niikappu’s Fork Bamboo Strike¶

From the Huranui’s Rest Inn, follow the Niikappu River northeast until it forks. This Bamboo Strike is in the forest east of the fork, on a rocky hill. We were ambushed by two bears here, so be careful!

Misty Valley Bamboo Strike¶

Head south from the Huranui’s Rest Inn, across the Nupur River, and follow a trail of white flowers past Shizunai Woods to reach a Mysterious Gate. Trying to go inside will start the quest The Spider Lily General. To complete this Bamboo Strike you must enter the bamboo forest maze and reach the end - the key you seek will be on the three-stalk Bamboo Strike, which you can complete after taking the aforementioned key.

Ishikari Plain Bamboo Strikes¶

Ishikari Plain has three Bamboo Strikes, one found along the eastern edge of the area, and another to the northeast (just past Rumoi River). Both of these are pretty standard fare - find them and get to chopping. Instead of a complicated Bamboo Strike that takes extra effort, Ishikari Plain has another mandatory main questline Bamboo Strike - you must complete the Bamboo Strike in the Matsumae Encampment during the main quest The Road to Ishikari Plain. Hard to get easier than an unmissable activity!

Matsumae Encampment Bamboo Strike¶

Head to the northern edge of the Yotei Grasslands to find The Road to Ishikari Plain, where a quest by the same name will start. After travelling to Ishikari Plain with Lord Kitamori you’ll reach the Matsumae Encampment, where he’ll leave you to talk to his commander. Wander around the camp until a Matsumae samurai yells at you and orders you to prove your worth at the Bamboo Strike - this must be completed to continue the quest to its conclusion. You’ll obtain the Clan Matsumae Helmet for completing this Bamboo Strike.

Urara Bamboo Strike¶

From the Matsumae Encampment, just follow the eastern edge of the Ishikari Plain region north and you should stumble across this Bamboo Strike eventually - it’s just south of the Oni’s Breath Inn. We had a crowd of ronin watching us attempt this, and if you complete the Bamboo Strike they’ll give you the Shattered Demon Mask as an additional reward.

Rumoi Bamboo Strike¶

Make your way to the northeastern part of the map to find the Rumoi River - you can reach it by following a road northeast from the northern Matsumae Encampment (not the one where you completed a Bamboo Strike earlier - the one north of the Masked Man’s Quarry). This Bamboo Strike is on high ground between two roads just north of the river. You can talk to - and spar with - a Settler near the Bamboo Strike, but it quickly becomes clear he’s no match for Atsu.

Teshio Ridge Bamboo Strikes¶

There are three Bamboo Strikes in Teshio Ridge - but who really wants to stand outside in the code chopping bamboo? Wonder if the bamboo freezing makes it harder to cut? Anyways, brave the cold and find one Bamboo Strike east of Teshio River, east of the Hakodake Mountains and between the Hakodake Mountains and Sarobetsu Lake.

Sakura Bamboo Strike¶

You’ll find this Bamboo Strike northeast of the Red Crane inn, past the Teshio River - you can find it if you head due east from the “Teshio Ridge” text on the map. It’s just east of the Bifuka Sake House, on a hill overlooking the gambling establishment. There’s no gimmick here, so just get up the hill and start cutting.

Hakodake Bamboo Strike¶

This Bamboo Strike can be found along the eastern edge of the Hakodake Mountains, west, southwest of Sarufutsu Lighthouse, north of the “Sentinel Forest” map on the text. You don’t have to do much in the way of climbing to reach here, there are roads (well, moribund paths in the snow, more like) that will take you nearby. Once you complete this Bamboo Strike a Settler will offer to read your fortune via your sword… odd, but pay her to start the quest [The Worth of a Blade].

Sarobetsu Bamboo Strike¶

Along the western edge of the Hakodake Mountains you’ll find a Deserted Village, where a frozen stream runs west to Sarobetsu Lake. This Bamboo Strike is along the river between the Deserted Village and Sarobetsu Lake, near a bridge spanning the frozen, snow-covered river. We were assaulted by a band of Nine Tails after completing this Bamboo Strike, which is perhaps to be expected considering how close it is to an occupied village.

Oshima Coast Bamboo Strikes¶

We’re in the home stretch, now! Only two left on Oshima Coast; One awaits out in the Atago Rice Fields, south, southeast of the Oshima Coast Entrance area, and another is just outside of and between the Matsumae Residences and Matsumae Castle in the south-center of the region.

Atago Bamboo Strike¶

South, southeast from where you enter the region you’ll find this Bamboo Strike seemingly out in the open. The only problem? Well, it seems perpetually plagued by storms, and every time you go to attempt the Bamboo Strike you’ll be hit by lightning… or rather, the spears nearby will be. Pick up and throw the nearby weapons away and Zeus will stop interfering with your Bamboo Strikes.

Matsumae Bamboo Strike¶

Along the south-center of the region you’ll find the hub of the Matsumae resistance, with the Matsumea Castle being to the east and the Matsumae Residences to the west. Circle around to the southern edge of the castle, enter the gate and immediately take a left and continue through another gate into the Matsumae Residences. Once through the gate you’ll find the Bamboo Strike to the north (right). This is another left-handed challenge, which means the inputs are somewhat unorthodox - no normal buttons, instead they’re replaced with D-Pad inputs. The trick to this Bamboo Strike is you have more time than you may think, compared to other Bamboo Strikes. Take your time to press the buttons correctly, as the inputs aren’t placed in a way that makes it easy to roll your thumb across the D-Pad, like the “Way of the Dual Katana” Bamboo Strike was.