Ubisoft dropped Assassin’s Creed Shadows Title Update 1.1.4 on October 28, 2025, and alongside Corrupted Castles and Advanced Parkour features, the patch introduced six coveted Golden Weapons to expand your feudal Japan arsenal. These legendary-tier weapons aren’t available through random loot drops—each requires completing specific challenges that test your mastery of combat, exploration, and character progression. Whether you’re hunting rare animals for Sumi-e paintings or perfecting Yasuke’s Kata meditations, here’s your definitive guide to unlocking all six Golden Weapons and dominating the battlefields of 16th-century Japan.
Table of Contents
All 6 Golden Assassin’s Creed Shadows Weapons: Quick Reference Table
| Weapon | Challenge Required | Character | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Tanto | Complete all 5 Legendary Sumi-e paintings | Both | Hard (seasonal/time requirements) |
| Golden Bow | Finish all 10 Horse Archery challenges | Yasuke only | Medium (requires Act 1 completion) |
| Golden Kusarigama | Complete all 22 Kuji-Kiri meditations | Naoe only | Medium (exploration-focused) |
| Golden Naginata | Finish all 18 Kata practices | Yasuke only | Medium (timing-based mini-games) |
| Golden Kanabo | Reach Level 100 | Both | Easy (time-consuming) |
| Golden Teppo | Upgrade Hideout to Level 13 | Both | Easy (resource management) |
Golden Tanto: Master the Legendary Sumi-e Challenge
The Golden Tanto requires completing the most elusive challenge in AC Shadows—photographing all five Legendary Sumi-e paintings. These aren’t ordinary animals; they’re extraordinary creatures appearing only in specific locations during particular seasons and times of day.
All Legendary Sumi-e Locations:
1. Legendary Wise Macaques
- Location: Yamashiro – Little Leaf Glade – Sarumaru Shrine
- Season: Any
- Time: Night
2. Dance of the Legendary Red-Crowned Crane
- Location: Wakasa – Lake Suigetsu
- Season: Winter only
- Time: Daytime
3. Legendary Shika Deer with Sakura
- Location: Yamato – Yoshino – Sakura Meadow
- Season: Spring only
- Time: Night
4. Legendary Silver Fox
- Location: Kii – Nakahechi Route – Kamimisu Inari Shrine
- Season: Autumn only
- Time: Night
5. Legendary White Tanuki
- Location: Omi – The Shimmering Fields – Shigaraki Hamlet
- Season: Summer only
- Time: Daytime
Pro Tip: Use your hideout’s Time Skip feature (added in previous updates) to change seasons efficiently rather than waiting through natural progression. Mark each location on your map and plan a circular route through Japan to minimize fast travel.
For players seeking more Assassin’s Creed collectible guides, mastering seasonal mechanics unlocks numerous hidden treasures beyond just weapons.
Golden Bow: Conquer All Horse Archery Challenges
Yasuke-exclusive content, the Golden Bow rewards players who master mounted combat across 10 Horse Archery locations. These challenges only unlock after completing Act 1 of the main story, so Naoe mains cannot access this weapon.
All 10 Horse Archery Challenge Locations:
- Izumi Settsu
- Yamashiro
- Omi – Azuchi
- Omi – Takashima Shores
- Iga
- Harima
- Yamato
- Wakasa
- Kii
- Tamba
Each challenge tests your accuracy while galloping at full speed, requiring precise timing to hit moving and stationary targets. The difficulty ramps up significantly in later locations with tighter time limits and more demanding shot requirements.
Strategy: Unlock Yasuke’s horse combat skills early, particularly those that steady aim while mounted. Use the bow’s aim-assist features liberally—there’s no shame in optimization.
Explore comprehensive action game combat techniques to improve your mounted archery precision and reaction timing.
Golden Kusarigama: Complete All Kuji-Kiri Meditations
Naoe’s signature weapon, the Golden Kusarigama, unlocks after finishing all 22 Kuji-Kiri meditation locations scattered throughout feudal Japan. These spiritual practices involve mini-games where you trace symbols with precise controller/mouse movements.
Kuji-Kiri locations appear as you naturally explore with Naoe, often near shrines, temples, and scenic overlooks. The meditation mini-games increase in complexity, demanding steady hands and pattern recognition. Missing the pattern forces you to restart, though there’s no penalty beyond time investment.
Finding All Locations: Enable exploration mode and systematically clear each region. Many Kuji-Kiri spots hide off the beaten path—check elevated positions, hidden valleys, and remote coastlines.
Update 1.1.4 fixed several Kuji-Kiri completion bugs, including “Rolling Glen Kuji-Kiri” and “Osaka Kuji Kiri” not registering properly. If you attempted these before the patch, revisit them to ensure completion.
Golden Naginata: Perfect All Kata Practices
Yasuke’s spiritual counterpart to Naoe’s meditations, Kata practices require performing precise button combinations in rhythm. All 18 Kata locations test your timing and pattern memorization rather than combat skills.
Similar to Kuji-Kiri, Kata spots appear throughout Yasuke’s journey, often in peaceful environments contrasting with the violent warfare surrounding them. Each Kata sequence grows progressively longer and more complex, demanding concentration and muscle memory.
Completion Tip: Practice makes perfect—literally. Don’t rush through Kata sequences. Take time to memorize patterns before attempting, and use your controller’s haptic feedback (if available) to feel the rhythm.
The patch notes confirm fixes for “Takeshima Kata” and “Itto Ittosai I Kata” completion issues, so previously problematic locations now register correctly.
Golden Kanabo: Reach Level 100
The most straightforward Golden Weapon unlock, the Golden Kanabo simply requires reaching the maximum character level of 100. While not mechanically challenging, this demands significant time investment across all game activities.
Fastest Leveling Methods:
Main and Side Quests: Prioritize story-driven content for massive XP rewards
Contracts: Accept and complete contracts from notice boards for consistent XP gains
Castle Sieges: Each siege provides substantial experience, especially Corrupted Castles introduced in Update 1.1.4
Animus Anomalies: The patch increased Anomaly XP rewards by 100%, making them extremely efficient
New Game+: If available, replaying on higher difficulties grants bonus experience multipliers
Update 1.1.4 raised the level cap to 100 specifically to accommodate this Golden Weapon unlock. Prior to this patch, the maximum level was lower, making the Kanabo impossible to obtain.
Check out strategies for RPG character leveling optimization to maximize XP gains and reach level 100 efficiently.
Golden Teppo: Upgrade Hideout to Level 13
The Golden Teppo (matchlock rifle) unlocks when you fully develop your hideout to Level 13. This requires consistent resource investment in buildings, decorations, and functional improvements throughout your playthrough.
Hideout Upgrade Path:
Access Blueprints: Open your map and navigate to the blueprints/hideout section
Build Structures: Construct new buildings and facilities using collected resources (wood, stone, etc.)
Add Cosmetics: Decorative items also contribute to hideout level progression
Unlock Areas: Expand your hideout’s physical boundaries by clearing new sections
Resource Management: Update 1.1.4 improved gold acquisition—Stable Level 4 now has a 30% chance to yield gold from stockpiles (up from previous rates), and Itinerant Vendor gold costs dropped 50%
Each improvement incrementally raises your hideout level. Track your progress through the hideout management menu, which displays current level and requirements for the next tier.
For more guidance on base building in action RPGs, understanding resource prioritization accelerates hideout progression significantly.
Why Update 1.1.4 Matters for Golden Weapons
Title Update 1.1.4’s bug fixes directly impact Golden Weapon acquisition. Several meditation, Kata, and quest-related issues that previously blocked completion are now resolved, meaning players who attempted these challenges before October 28 should revisit them.
Additionally, the introduction of Corrupted Castles provides a new, lucrative XP source for players grinding toward Level 100 and the Golden Kanabo. These challenging variants of previously completed castles feature Corrupted Samurai Daisho with altered attack patterns, offering substantial rewards upon completion.
For official patch details and ongoing support, visit the Assassin’s Creed Shadows official page and check the Ubisoft support center for troubleshooting.
FAQs
Q1: Can I unlock all six Golden Weapons with just one character, or do I need to play as both Naoe and Yasuke?
You must play as both Naoe and Yasuke to unlock all six Golden Weapons. The Golden Bow (Horse Archery), Golden Naginata (Kata practices), and access to Yasuke-specific content require playing as the samurai. Meanwhile, the Golden Kusarigama demands completing all 22 Kuji-Kiri meditations, which are exclusively Naoe activities. The Golden Tanto (Legendary Sumi-e), Golden Kanabo (Level 100), and Golden Teppo (Hideout Level 13) can be achieved with either character since they involve universal progression systems. Assassin’s Creed Shadows encourages regularly switching between both protagonists, so naturally progressing through the story while completing side activities should unlock most Golden Weapons without dedicated grinding—except perhaps the Level 100 requirement.
Q2: If I completed some Kata or Kuji-Kiri meditations before Update 1.1.4, do I need to redo them after the patch?
Most likely not, but it depends on whether you encountered specific bugs. Update 1.1.4 fixed several completion tracking issues, including “Takeshima Kata,” “Osaka Kuji Kiri,” “Itto Ittosai I Kata,” and “Rolling Glen Kuji-Kiri” not registering properly. If your completion counter shows fewer than 18 Kata or 22 Kuji-Kiri despite believing you finished them all, revisit the previously problematic locations listed in the patch notes. The game should now properly recognize completion and update your progress. For players who completed these activities post-patch, there shouldn’t be any issues. You can track your exact progress in the Challenges menu—any discrepancies likely indicate bugged locations that need revisiting after installing Update 1.1.4.
