Onimusha: Way of the Sword has 22 main missions and roughly 25 optional side quests, and this list covers every one of them in order so you always know where you stand in Musashi’s fight through a corrupted Kyoto. Whether you only want to clear the story or you’re chasing full completion, bookmark this page and use it to track your progress as you go.
Musashi’s journey through a distorted Kyoto is packed with battles, supernatural threats, and story beats that come at you fast, and it’s genuinely easy to lose track of which mission you’re on. This onimusha way of the sword all missions list compiles the full main story in order, along with every side quest, so you can check it off as you play, whether you’re rushing the campaign or aiming for a maximum completion save file.
The plot itself is mostly linear, so tracking your progress isn’t too hard once you know what’s coming, but the side content is a different story. Chance Encounters and Mysteries of Kyoto unlock in waves as you clear main missions, and a few only show up once a specific region has been cleared of its boss, so it’s easy to walk right past something without realizing it was there. Use this page as a running checklist and you shouldn’t miss anything on your way to the credits.
Onimusha Way of the Sword All Missions List: Main Story Order
Onimusha: Way of the Sword tells its story across 22 main missions, and they’re fairly linear, so you won’t have much trouble following where you are just by checking your objective marker. The story kicks off in Rendaino and gradually pushes Musashi into more dangerous corners of Kyoto as the Genma infestation spreads.
Here’s the full main mission order:
- The Ruckus at Rendaino
- The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu
- Kyoto, Corrupted
- The Oni’s Apprentice
- Careful What You Wish For
- The Curse of Kiyomizu-zaka Slope
- A Strength in Refuge
- Patching Up the Pouch
- Windswept Kenin-ji
- An Immortal Talent
- What Lurks in the Shadows
- The Roots of All Evil
- Bloodbath of the Bridge
- Shadows Fall
- A Tempest at the Temple
- To Live is to Suffer
- Okuni’s Kabuki Dance
- The Demon on the Mount
- A Haunted Distraction
- Storm Chaser
- In the Light of an Icy Moon
- The Clash at Rendaino
A couple of these missions are worth flagging early. “Careful What You Wish For” sends you out to recover the Stout Pillars stolen from the Hachidai Rikison shrine, and if you want the full breakdown of where each pillar is hidden and what happens once you return them, we’ve laid it all out in our Stolen Stout Pillars guide. “Bloodbath of the Bridge” is where you’ll duel Sasaki Ganryu, a nod to the real historical rival of Miyamoto Musashi, and our Sasaki Ganryu hard mode guide covers his full attack pattern if that fight is giving you trouble.
“The Clash at Rendaino” is the last major story mission, and it’s also the point of no return. Before you start it, go back and mop up any side quests, puzzles, and collectibles you’ve skipped, because you won’t be able to return to free roam once it’s done. This mission also throws Byakue, the Hundred Defilements, back at you as part of a boss gauntlet, so if you want a refresher on deflecting his axe swings, check our Byakue boss guide before you commit.
All Side Quests in Onimusha: Way of the Sword
The main story is only half of what Onimusha: Way of the Sword has to offer. As you play, Musashi runs into side characters with their own problems, strange occurrences scattered around Kyoto, and Chance Encounters that unlock gradually as the story moves forward, so it’s worth checking your map regularly instead of assuming everything is available from the start.
Here’s the full list of side content:
- Pale Lights in a Night Sky
- Clear Space, Clear Mind
- The Light of Vengeance
- A Wife’s Prayer
- The Blessed Man
- The Odd Couples
- Noisy Neighbors
- An Ugly Business
- The Growing Ghost
- Something in the Water
- Ace Archer: Kiyomizu-Dera Temple
- Ace-Archer: Nijo-jo Castle
- Ace-Archer: Kyoto Imperial Palace
- Ace-Archer: Arashiyama
- Ace-Archer: Mount Oe
- Worm-ly Ways
- The Night Parade
- Restless Spirits
- A Fishy Story
- The Faceless
- Hidden Treasure No. 1
- Hidden Treasure No. 2
- Hidden Treasure No. 3
- Hidden Treasure No. 4
- Hidden Treasure No. 5
“Clear Space, Clear Mind” is one of the earliest Chance Encounters you’ll run into, unlocking right at the start of “A Strength in Refuge,” and it’s a good one to knock out early since it’s short and rewards a useful charm. We’ve got a full walkthrough of that Clear Space, Clear Mind courtyard fight if you want the enemy wave breakdown and reward list. Side quests like these also tie into Lion Dogs, a set of 36 hidden collectibles that don’t even appear on your map until you clear the main mission “What Lurks in the Shadows.”
Once that mission is done, Lion Dogs show up as pawprint icons, though the ones outside central Kyoto still won’t spawn until that region’s own boss is defeated, so don’t panic if a pawprint seems to be missing from an area you thought you’d finished. Collecting Lion Dogs isn’t just for the trophy either, since 30 of them unlocks a new blade skin, and grabbing all 36 gets you a second one on top of it.
The five Ace Archer challenges (Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, Nijo-jo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Arashiyama, and Mount Oe) are timed archery trials tied to specific regions, and they only become available once you’ve made enough story progress to unlock that part of the map, so don’t be surprised if one is greyed out early on. They’re a good way to test your Oni Bow accuracy outside of combat, and they’re short enough to fit in between main missions without derailing your run.
The five Hidden Treasure quests work a little differently, sending you after buried valuables scattered across Kyoto rather than a single fight or puzzle, and most of them reward crafting materials you’ll want for upgrading your gear later in the campaign.
Not every side quest is combat focused, either. Entries like “A Wife’s Prayer,” “The Blessed Man,” and “The Odd Couples” are closer to small character vignettes, where you’re helping a resident of Kyoto with a personal problem rather than fighting off Genma. They’re easy to skip if you’re only chasing the main story, but they add some welcome texture to a game that otherwise throws a lot of demons at you.
How Long Does It Take to Complete Onimusha: Way of the Sword?
The main story campaign runs about 18 to 20 hours if you stick to the critical path. A more typical playthrough that dips into some side content lands closer to 25 hours, and a full completionist run, one that clears every side quest, Chance Encounter, and Hidden Treasure, can stretch past 30 hours depending on how much backtracking you do.
Platinum trophy hunters should expect a much bigger time investment, closer to 60 to 70 hours in total. That’s because the Platinum isn’t just about finishing every side quest, it also requires a full second playthrough on Carnage difficulty.
Carnage doesn’t unlock at the start of the game, you have to clear the story once on Story or Action difficulty first, and it then becomes selectable on New Game Plus. If you’re building toward that second run, our Daidara Carnage difficulty guide is worth a look before you get there, since soul management gets a lot less forgiving once the difficulty spikes.
It’s also worth revisiting areas you’ve already cleared as you go. New objectives and Lion Dogs can appear in old locations once later story flags trigger, so a location that felt “done” early on might have something new waiting by the time you reach the back half of the game.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Missions FAQ
What is the final mission in Onimusha: Way of the Sword?
“The Clash at Rendaino” is the last major story mission and the point of no return. Finish your side quests and optional content before you start it.
Can you complete side missions before finishing the main story?
Yes, and it’s the better approach if you want to see everything the game offers. Clearing side missions before “The Clash at Rendaino” means you won’t miss content that’s tied to the pre finale state of the map.
Can you return to locations you’ve already visited?
Yes, up until you begin the finale. Revisiting old areas lets you pick up new side content and Lion Dogs that appear later in the story, so it’s worth the occasional detour.
How many main missions and side quests are in Onimusha: Way of the Sword?
There are 22 main missions and roughly 25 side quests and Chance Encounters, covering everything from Ace Archer challenges to Hidden Treasure hunts.
Do you need to finish every side quest for the Platinum trophy?
Yes. Full completion, including every side quest and Chance Encounter, is required alongside a full Carnage difficulty playthrough to earn the Platinum.
That wraps up this Onimusha Way of the Sword all missions list, covering every main story mission and side quest from start to finish. Keep this list handy as you play, and check out our other Onimusha: Way of the Sword guides on ingametor.com for boss strategies and side quest walkthroughs as you work through the rest of Kyoto.
